


Color Me Different

by Lizzard_writer



Category: Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Separation Anxiety, mild violence, non-explicit nudity (Chapter 10)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2019-11-27 23:25:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 87,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18200402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizzard_writer/pseuds/Lizzard_writer
Summary: An uptight, aloof prince and a hot-headed, slightly judgmental mercenary walk into Subspace...What could go wrong?(Chapter story!)FYI: This takes place in SSBB (Because Smash Bros Brawl will forever be my favorite series of the game)





	1. Chapter 1

The rocks crumbled as they turned to dust beneath sodden covered boots that agonizingly made their way through the empty, fallen corridors of the abandoned castle.

A silent huff of agitation escaped the warrior as he found himself approaching a more than likely unstable staircase.

Frowning at the cracked and rusting steps in front of him, the young bluenette turned to look back to the open and beat up, molding stone castle wall through which he came.

Rain continued to fall hard from the sky, mudding the sandy ground covering the landscape beyond.

Letting out a defeated side, the prince carefully made his way up the stairs, which creaked pathetically beneath him.

The rickety, winding staircase led the young soldier to what appeared to be an open throne room.

Or, what was left of one anyway.

Appalled by the off-putting site, the bluenette slowly entered through what was left of the remaining doorway.

One of the decorative, ceramic pillars to the sides of the room were fallen, broken in large pieces as it lain on the ripped carpeted floor while the others remained standing and adorned in crumbling cracks.

Glancing down, the young royal carefully tiptoed around a shattered chandelier that must have broke from the cracked marble ceiling from above.

As gloved hands hesitantly glided along the rough, metallic surface of the rusted arm supporters, sapphire eyes examined the ripped up leather that covered what was left of the throne seat.

Suddenly, memories overcame him...

_Letter held in his tight grip, the Prince of Altea looked angrily up at his sibling,_

_"You cannot be serious, Elice. We have just completed a two-year war and can allow ourselves a moment of rest. Why would I agree to something like this? Why would_ you _agree to something like this? Sister—"_

_Placing a gentle hand on her younger brother's shoulder, the princess gave a soft sigh,_

_"You are still riled up from all those battles Marth...and, I believe accepting this invitation will help rattle out the intensity of war by giving you the opportunity to take joy in combats that are for fun. Remember, the time elapsed there is much different than here. You will only be gone for a month or so in our time, no need to worry."_

_Biting his lip, the soldier looked behind him at the empty throne chairs their parents once occupied._

_"But...who will care for Altea while I am away...when I am the only one left to rule?"_

_Chuckling quietly, Elice made eye contact with the worried royal,_

_"Jagen has done a fine job of watching over our country while Father was away on many occasions. This will be no different."_

_Marth bit his lip, azure eyes shining in worry as they locked with his sister's,_

_"But...what about you?"_

_Tilting her head to the side, the older sibling gave the other a confused look._

_"What about me?"_

_The prince's eyes suddenly watered over as he continued to stare at his sister._

_"I...I just saved you! W-We are finally together again, Elice...I cannot just simply leave you! Not...not after...w-what...what if—!"_

_Elice hugged her brother tightly, holding the back of his teal head in comfort._

_"Marth. I will be alright, I promise."_

_Sniffling into the other's shoulder, the younger bluenette hiccuped,_

_"T-That's what you said last time."_

_The older woman shut her eyes tightly at that horrid memory before pulling away and caressing her brother's mournful face gently._

_"Do not confuse a desperate moment in war with our now renowned freedom, little brother. I will be fine. And, so will you."_

_Wiping at his eyes, Marth nodded solemnly._

_"Alright..."_

_..._

He was still angry about the decision.

He wanted to be home.

To be with his sister.

He lost her at the beginning of the war.

Finally reunited with her after all the chaos of shadows had passed.

Just to leave her once more.

For what? A silly tournament Elice thinks will 'cheer him up?'

Blinking away any oncoming tears, the bluenette puffed out his chest before giving himself a moment to come back to the present time.

He glanced around the room before looking up.

It was quiet.

"Huh, I must have zoned out for longer than I had intended. The rain has stopped," the prince spoke to himself quietly.

Taking his leave from the throne room, the teal-haired swordsman continued through a few more corridors before climbing up another old, unsteady flight of stairs.

They led the young royal to the roof of the ailing fortress.

It was an outside space surrounded by a disfigured and molding stone barrier that must have acted as a fort of protection for guards keeping watch for possible threats.

Back when this place had a true existence.

Walking over to one of the walls, Marth rested his hands atop the marred surface as he looked out onto the horizon.

Nothing but sand seemed to go on for miles.

The warrior's brows furrowed in thought,

_'What is my purpose for even being here? Where am I even supposed to go when there is nothing inhabiting this wasteland other than myself?'_

As if someone above heard the prince's thoughts, a sudden, dark indigo cloud exploded to the North of the castle.

Eyes widening in surprise, the young bluenette rested a cautious hand on the hilt of his sword, unsure if he should prepare for whatever may come from this strange, purple sphere.

Which seemed to continuously grow at a steady pace.

Suddenly, his eye caught glimpse of something moving towards the castle.

"What the...?!"

Plush, green bodies dragged themselves lethargically over to the fortress, their eyes glowing red as the same purple substance from the suspicious orb trailed behind them.

Falchion gleamed brightly in the dim atmosphere as Marth unsheathed it from its scabbard.

The sound of a rock bouncing on the ground startled the bluenette, causing him to spin around in alarm.

Those green figures somehow found their way into the fortress and up to the top, where the young soldier was currently residing.

In one swift swing, Marth sliced his sword through four incoming monsters who easily turned to purple goop before vanishing.

Falchion dripped with the remnants of the violet sludge.

"Ugh...," the Altean native mumbled in disgust before hurrying his way back down into the castle, where he met head on with more of those obscure creatures.

* * *

The cloud of mystery rumbled in front of him, seeming to have come to a complete stop while in the process of trying to encompass the entire land around it.

The prince examined it with worry as he brushed off the remainder of purple goo from the army of green creatures he had just finished slaughtering.

Suddenly, a flash of light caught the corner of his eye, and Marth only had a few seconds to react and guard himself from his incoming attacker's spiked sword.

Falchion and Galaxia clashed together, disturbing the dusty air around them.

Marth was at a loss for words, incredibly confused on who was fighting him.

Or what.

The body of his attacker was not even human, and to the prince's utter horror, it could fly.

The armor-cladded ball of agility did not give up, wings spread as it flew in for another hit to which the teal-haired swordsman blocked once more.

Landing swiftly on the ground, the spherical warrior tucked his wings away before glaring his golden eyes up at the young bluenette.

Heaving quite heavily, sapphire eyes locked onto them,

"W-Who...what—?"

Before Marth could continue his questioning, both soldiers looked up as they became surrounded by more of those green henchmen.

Golden eyes suddenly filled with realization as they glanced once more up at the prince,

"Wait. You are not...?"

Marth shook his head,

"No."

Nodding in understanding, the spherical combatant held his sword out as his wings spread once more.

Both swordsmen came to a silent agreement on who the real threat was as they stood side by side before charging at the mysterious creatures together.

* * *

_'This place is horrendous...arrows and canons everywhere, but where the heck are all the damn soldiers?'_

Chuckling quietly to himself, the royal blue-haired swordsman examined his golden sword casually as he continued to stroll along the sandy landscape.

_'Father would find this whole scenario ridiculous I bet.'_

Smiling fondly at the thought of his late parent, the muscular warrior continued to kick up dust as his brown boots marched along the dirt path.

Until a loud explosion to his left caught his attention, disturbing his quiet walk of boredom.

"What the hell?"

Eyes squinting in concern, the mercenary could only make out a sea of green as it appeared to move towards a beat up castle and grow from the advancing purple sphere.

The tall soldier huffed in amused annoyance,

_'Well. Finally something I can work with in this dump of a place.'_

And with that last thought, the bluenette hurried his way over.

* * *

"He's the one controlling these things! We have to go after him Meta Knight!"

Grunting in frustration, said puffball angrily cut down the last of the incoming green enemies before looking up to his new ally,

"Agreed. Let's go."

The two fighters then took off as they trailed behind a dark, green cloaked figure floating above them as it held what appeared to be a timer.

Brows drawing in anger, Marth picked up his pace as he sprinted past his companion before leaping up in the air.

He attempted to slash away the Ancient Minister's connection to the the ticking bomb.

But, Falchion missed by a hair.

Meta Knight came up behind him, wings spread wide as his eyes glew red in fury before he tried taking a hit himself.

However, the enemy turned around just as he did so, shooting out a red missile that caught onto the Star Warrior's wing.

The round knight had no choice but to fall back and recover from the hit as Marth quickly came over to him,

"Are you alright?"

Patting down the remainder of the flame in his right wing, the navy puffball looked up to the young royal,

"Just a slight burn, Your Highness. Nothing you need to worry yourself over. Now, let's move. He is getting away—,"

Gold and sapphire eyes suddenly darted upward when a large, golden blade shined brightly as it spun above the Ancient Minister.

Before it was grasped tightly by its wielder as it slashed down in between the timer and the floating monster, causing the cloaked being to fly off into the distance of never ending dust and darkness.

Ragnell landed roughly onto the ground, picking up dust as its owner followed suit before his cobalt eyes glanced upward at the two swordsmen.

Marth's heart stuttered in his chest as a blush creeped up his cheeks.

Their rescuer's shirt was ripped up and tattered.

He was utterly filthy.

And, his actions were quite reckless and could have been dangerous if the Ancient Minister were to fly into them instead of the landscape beyond.

But.

Those muscles.

That face.

His—

"Are you guys alright?"

...voice.

Clearing his throat, Marth brushed away a strand of teal hair as he rid his sudden thoughts of this stranger before nodding along with Meta Knight,

"Y-Yes...thank you."

The darker bluenette looked over at him, his own face flushing lightly as he took in the other human in their trio.

The shorter male had hardly any muscle, but the mercenary couldn't help but notice his perfectly curved waist and his thin, smooth arms.

And those beautiful, bright, sapphire eyes.

What was there not to—

The older swordsman suddenly flickered his eyes upward,

_'Wait. Is that a...tiara?'_

His kind face suddenly turned to one of annoyance.

"You're...royalty?" The stranger's voice held a not so subtle hint of disgust that didn't go unnoticed by the lighter bluenette.

Forgetting his own suggestive thoughts of the handsome warrior before him, Marth crossed his arms in indignation.

He's met many men on the battlefield who turned disdainful towards him just because he was 'royalty.'

Men who betrayed him during the war for his supposed 'status,' and used the young prince only for their own selfish purposes.

This was no walk in the park for the Altean native.

"I am. Is there a problem?" he spoke coldy.

The taller male shrugged his shoulders as he planted Ragnell into the dirt, crossing his own, muscular arms as he mirrored the royal's stance.

He's had to deal with the most obnoxious princes and princesses for multiple quests as a mercenary, where his newly made role as commander for his father's mercenaries was the worst when it came to them.

They would whine and complain, never satisfied by anything you do.

They were all the same.

Except, the one in front of him was quite exquisite.

But, the older male was choosing to ignore that, knowing such feelings were incredibly irrational now that he knew of the other's unfortunate status.

"Depends. As long as you don't expect me to wait on you hand and foot like all of you asshole's tend to do."

Ignoring his previously fond thoughts of the younger bluenette, the mercenary sneered at the look of shock on the other's face.

"I-I beg your pardon! For your information, we...ugh, I will not tolerate such fowl language...'royals' do not all stoop so low to demean others in such a way! I would know your own place before you think you could tread your hostility all over me...For Anri's sake, I just humbly thanked you not a few moments ago for helping us!"

Their new ally simply scoffed at the agitated royal.

"And, you are?"

The two quarreling swordsmen suddenly looked down, completely forgetting Meta Knight was with them.

Having the decency to appear sheepish, the taller bluenette scratched the back of his head,

"My apologies, my name is Ike...I come from Crimea, a place far from here where I am the head commander of my late Father's group of mercenaries."

Marth frowned at that,

"Let me understand this, _commander._ You come here, insult me, only to reveal yourself as a simple _mercenary?_ Do you realize the amount of crudity I could bestow upon you with that knowledge? The _audacity—!"_

"Your Highness, I believe that is enough."

Blushing in embarrassment, the younger bluenette bit his tongue as him and Ike continued to glare at one another.

Golden eyes remained unamused as he turned his attention back to the taller male,

"I am Meta Knight, a resident of the Planet Popstar and a place I highly doubt the two of you have heard of."

The armored puffball then flickered his eyes over to the now pouting royal who was now refusing to introduce himself properly before he acknowledged the mercenary once more,

"This is Prince Marth."

Said boy huffed quietly before glancing down at the spherical Knight,

"I told you, it's just Marth. Please, no formalities are necessary."

Smirking coldly, Ike took a step closer to the shorter bluenette who was still refusing to look at him,

"Oh, what's the matter _princess?_ Does such a simple acknowledgement ruffle your pretty little feathers?"

Steely sapphire eyes glared in his direction.

But, his look faltered when those mischievous cobalt orbs locked onto his own.

_'For a jerk of a soldier...he is...quite irresistible.'_

Ike noticed the small blush that suddenly formed on the prince's cheeks.

His grin grew wider.

However, it became slightly more genuine as the taller bluenette allowed himself to tower over the shorter.

_'Princey likes what he sees, does he?'_

As if hearing the older male's thoughts, Marth turned his head away before marching in the direction the Ancient Minister flew off to.

Rolling his eyes in amusement, Ike picked up Ragnell as Meta Knight flew over to catch up with the flustered prince.

"Ah, a typical prince. Running from confrontation and letting his soldiers clean up the dirty work."

The young royal suddenly stopped in his tracks, spinning around as he angrily looked at Ike.

The other's words did not hold true.

Marth knew that.

He tried his best when in battle over these past two years at war.

He never left a single man behind.

He fought with everything he had to keep everyone safe.

But, the teal-haired swordsman's insecurity as the next up and coming ruler in protecting his country clouded his rationale, letting his vulnerability show.

Ike didn't know his words stung something deep within the prince until said boy glared over at him.

Those sapphire eyes shined with disgust towards the muscular warrior.

And hurt.

A whole lot of it.

And, the mercenary couldn't figure out why that look suddenly stirred a strong feeling in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!
> 
> So, I'm looking forward to how this story is going to go...but the plot is still formulating in my mind haha
> 
> But, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter!
> 
> Also, I know ZERO about Meta Knight so bear with me in how I make him out as a character.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	2. Chapter 2

"For someone who claims they've fought in multiple battles, and a war no less, you sure are slacking."

"At least I am decent in how I execute myself and not sloppily slashing through enemies, creating a gratuitous bloodbath like a pig!"

Extending Ragnell out in front of him, the golden blade dripping heavily with the grotesque violet substance of their remaining enemies, the mercenary smirked to himself before swinging his sword towards the whining prince, successfully flinging the majority of the goo onto the other's person.

The younger bluenette sputtered out in surprise before he glared daggers into those vexatious cobalt eyes, purple sludge dripping off his teal bangs.

"Why you—!" The royal started before he was suddenly shot at by one of their green enemy's fire guns, the lining of his cape suddenly catching aflame.

The teal-haired swordsman gasped aloud before batting his gloved hands at his scathed cloak as he waved it around, trying to rid of the speckling flames.

Ike burst out in laughter at the sight, planting Ragnell into the ground as he held onto it to keep himself up.

The small fire finally dissipated from Marth's cape before he pouted up at the taller swordsman for making fun of him.

Suddenly, a low growl made its way through all the commotion, causing both bluenettes to halt in their actions.

"Enough, you two! Somebody is going to get—!" Meta Knight shouted angrily before him and the young prince watched as the cackling mercenary was suddenly knocked onto the ground, groaning in pain.

"...hurt," the Popstar warrior finished with a frustrated sigh before easily slicing through the enemy that attacked the younger male.

The two fighters then made their way over to the other swordsman, who was now laying on his back as he held his wounded arm protectively.

Marth looked down at him, sapphire eyes holding no sympathy for the latter male as he casually kicked dirt into the other's face,

"Now who's laughing?"

Grumbling up at the Altean native, Ike wiped his face before shoving a hand against the other's boot covered feet,

"Oh, fuck you."

Meta Knight ignored both of their repercussions to each other before he flew up in the air and extended a white gloved hand to the older bluenette.

Giving the prince a dirty side glance, the mercenary gratefully took the armored puffball's offered hand before moving up to stand.

"Let me see," the knight muttered to the mercenary, gesturing to the other's wounded left arm, which was oozing out blood at a steady pace.

The Crimean, however, brushed off the spherical solider's concern as he simply wiped his cape over the deep gash in his extremity before picking up Ragnell.

He then glanced over to the younger bluenette, who was frowning with a bite to those sweet lips as his wound seemed to trouble the feisty royal, as well. 

Ike smirked at him,

"Is _Your Highness_ worried for me? What flattery!"

Marth's face burned crimson as he looked up at the older male, startled by his commentary and quite bashful for being caught staring.

Rolling back his shoulders and keeping pressure on his bleeding wound, the mercenary flirtatiously winked at the young prince before walking past him and Meta Knight as he squinted into the distance,

"I'm starving."

The Popstar resident and the Altean native glanced at one another in confusion.

"Uh—," Marth began before he saw Ike point his index finger Eastward.

The puzzled soldiers followed the commander's line of sight, where they slowly made out what appeared to be a small village in the distance.

The round warrior nodded to himself in understanding before looking up towards the taller bluenette,

"We do need provisions for this long trip ahead of us...and, I do not see any harm in making a stop with the locals. Plus, you need that arm looked at. I don't care for your opinions on the matter."

Ike sighed with a roll of his eyes in silent acceptance.

Golden eyes then flickered over to the teal-haired swordsman tiredly rubbing at his eyes before the armored puffball continued,

"And, it is getting quite late...the sun looks as if it may only have just a few more hours to spare until it sets."

The blue-haired soldiers nodded in agreement beside him before the brave trio started their journey towards the distant town.

* * *

So. Many. Vendors.

For what appeared to be small from a few miles out, the remote hamlet was actually fairly large.

Villagers were everywhere: in the streets, pact together on the side walks, and lined up by storefronts.

However, no one seemed to pay the group of fighters any mind as they traveled together in the middle of all the chaos.

The three comrades had allowed themselves a quick bite to eat first, stopping at a warm potato and bread stand because the hungry mercenary insisted food was far more important than his ailing injury.

Afterwards, the swordsmen found an incredibly friendly medical center that happily took them in and treated all of their wounds with tender care, even offering them lollipops at the end of their visit. Both the knight and prince kindly refused the thoughtful gesture while the mercenary gladly accepted the sweet treat.

Sucking on the cherry flavored candy, cobalt eyes were now silently watching the silhouette a few feet ahead of him examining the various kinds of shawls on display as he quietly chatted with the fabric merchant.

Marth was at a cross roads on what would be the best blanketed scarf for him to wear in case the nights in this world were cold, seeing as they were in a practical desert ridden landscape after all.

 _'And, Gods know where we'll end up after this,'_ the prince thought to himself as he gently lifted a thick, wooly blue cloak from the display rack.

"Ah, that may be a fine stole my dear lad. One of my more popular items, for it does tend to get quite chilly once dusk sets," the courteous shopkeeper commented, giving Marth a warm smile.

The bluenette returned it.

_'Well, that answers my question.'_

He then moved on to view the other shawls with the same or similar material, now just trying to find out which design suited him best.

Ike wasn't entirely wrong in his opinion of the prince.

Royalty had a tendency to be quite fastidious.

And, Marth sure was picky.

Especially when it came to his clothing.

Although, the younger bluenette was pretty sure that having an older sister to constantly look up to was what led him to picking up this painstakingly annoying trait of his.

As he continued his shopping, glad that he and his two allies were given a generous amount of coins before they were assigned their destinations for the tournament, Marth completely forgot for the moment that the two other swordsmen were patiently waiting for him.

A tired sigh escaped the mercenary as he continued to observe the shorter male.

Before a small smile tugged at his lips.

He honestly could not deny how incredibly adorable the other looked when those beautiful, sapphire eyes shined with nothing but curiosity.

His thin frame and overall charm seemed to stand out from everything else surrounding the Crimean native as he watched the other glance back and forth between the assorted clothing.

Ike could just squish that pouty face, which was fully concentrated on the warm fabrics in front of it.

"You should go help him."

Startled out of his thoughts, the commander looked downward into...

Wait...pink eyes?!

"Gaah!" The blue-haired soldier yelped out in surprise, lollipop falling from his mouth as he jumped a step back.

"Your eyes change color?! What the hell Meta Knight?!"

Chuckling lowly, the spherical warrior continued to look up at the flustered soldier as his eyes returned to their normal golden-yellow color.

He had been silently having his own observation of the young mercenary by his side as he watched the other admiring their third companion across the way.

And, please, even without the Popstar resident being much older than the other two swordsmen, it didn't take a genius to realize that amongst all the constant quarreling the pair tended to find themselves in today, the two clearly have an extreme fondness for each other.

Which they badly have been trying to hide.

But, has also made this journey for the navy puffball, albeit a bit frustrating, also relatively amusing.

He nudged at Ike once more, who's concentration was once again back on the younger royal,

"Go on."

The mercenary glanced down at him before crossing his arms in defiance,

"He doesn’t need any help. If he wants to prove he's not arrogant and overly dependent like the rest of his kind, then he should be perfectly capable in picking out a girly scarf all by himself."

Meta Knight simply chuckled at that,

"You know, the Prince may not truly be what you believe he is, Ike. Give him a chance. You two literally just met for the first time earlier this afternoon. Get to know him."

Cobalt eyes matched with gold, causing the darker bluenette to frown in thought before the two looked back over to Marth silently.

Then, the mercenary took a hesitant step forward before slowly making his way to the conflicted royal, entrusting Meta Knight with Ragnell for the time being.

Biting his lip once more, Marth held the light and dark blue pattered, wooly shawl in one hand while he held a shiny, white and gold one in the other.

"What's the hold up?"

Jumping in surprise, the prince turned his head around at the newcomer.

And frowned.

Ike was standing, or more so towering, his taller frame over the lighter bluenette as he stared down at those sapphire eyes in question,

"Well?"

Marth nervously looked up at his impatient companion before his eyes glanced down to the two items in his hand.

"I can't decide which one I want," he grumbled out quietly.

The commander of the Greil mercenaries pursed his lips in thought before giving in to Meta Knight's advice.

He let out a relenting sigh,

"Lemme see."

Uncertain about the other's sudden willingness to help, Marth gave him a suspicious look before handing over the two items to the older male.

"Damn these are soft," Ike quietly commented in awe before he held the shimmering gold one up to the prince's chest.

The royal giggled quietly at the other's statement before blushing darkly when the mercenary closed the distance between the two of them so he could make a comparison of the two clothing items with Marth himself.

The taller soldier took notice, but didn't comment on it, knowing he'd say something stupid since he found the other to be incredibly cute when he was flustered in such a way.

Clearing his throat, Ike tilted his head as he looked from the teal-haired swordsman and back to the cloak in his gloved hand,

"Well...this one is nice. But, to be honest with you, it's a bit flashy. The sparkles just...hmm. Okay, let me just try this one."

With that, the commander pulled the white and gold shawl back as he brought the intricately designed, bright blue patterned one froward.

Those large, sapphire eyes peered up at him once more in inquiry.

Oh, Ike liked this one.

Without thinking, he blurted out,

"It goes wonderfully with your eyes."

Both bluenettes' faces reddened simultaneously as they together realized what just came out of the mercenary's mouth.

"I-I mean...uh, ya know...the blue...ah...," Ike's face was glowing pink as he tried stuttering out an explanation to cover up the horrendous sappy compliment he just gave to the other.

Hiding a smile behind his hand, Marth plucked the blue scarf from the rambling male's larger one,

"T-Thanks Ike...I...I-I think that helped solve m-my...um...predicament."

The tomato faced prince then handed the said item over to the awaiting vendor before reaching into the pouch attached to his belt loop.

"That will be fifteen coins, please," the merchant stated kindly.

The Altean native was just about to place that said amount onto the wooden counter when a larger hand beat him to it.

The younger bluenette glanced up to see Ike's still blushing face avoiding his gaze as he traded his own coins in for Marth's scarf.

"I-Ike—?" He began, but the older male simply cut him off by shoving his new clothing item into his hands before grabbing the royal’s arm and dragging themselves back over to Meta Knight.

The dark blue-haired swordsman was frankly too embarrassed and prideful to admit to even himself the kind gesture he had just done for the young prince.

So, he did his best to pretty much ignore Marth's questioning looks as the round armored knight led the three of them to one of the breakfast inns that they planned on staying in for the night.

And, after witnessing that entire incident, the Popstar warrior's eyes were just as pink as the cheeks adorned on the two younger males' faces.

* * *

"I don't mind taking the old sofa. I've slept on far worse."

"Oh, Your Highness, I cannot allow you to succumb yourself to such an uncomfortable place of rest—."

"Goodness, Meta Knight, don't baby him. It's about time Princess gets accustomed to commoner living."

The round soldier sighed.

And, the two blue swordsmen were back it.

Quarreling back and forth like husband and wife, as if the intimate interaction between the two of them never happened just under an hour ago.

 _'More like husband and husband,'_ the knight quietly thought to himself before he made his way over to the worn out couch and making himself comfortable while he watched the others fight with tired eyes.

The inn was quite nice, homey in a way.

However, there was a small dilemma the three swordsmen found themselves in.

Because, with a busy town,

There came limited room space.

Due to this, the trio was currently trying to decide on who gets the one king sized bed in the middle of the room and who gets the ripped up divan.

Clearing his throat, Meta Knight gained the attention of the two squabbling swordsmen.

"I will sleep here. You two have the bed."

Marth and Ike revolted in disgust at the other's decision before glaring at each other,

"NO!" They said in unison.

The puffball grit his teeth in agitation, rubbing the top of his head to find some peace in this situation.

He looked back up to them,

"Honestly, my small frame does not need the amount of space nor proper positioning that your human bodies require...It is just for one night."

The younger bluenette bit his lip in thought before coming up with a not so wonderful idea,

"I...um...I can just sleep on the floor."

Meta Knight glared at him,

"No you will not."

"But, Meta Knight—."

"I said no, Prince Marth. Neither of you will."

The two younger warriors frowned at him, but the spherical soldier ignored them,

"It is very late and we all need our rest before traveling again tomorrow. Now. Go. To. Sleep."

With that, the Popstar resident turned himself away from the two as he removed his mask and heavy armor before quickly falling asleep.

Leaving the two bluenettes alone in silence.

A steady gaze was held in between them before the older male let out a quite sigh,

"Well, you heard the man...or uh...whatever he is."

The mercenary then followed the knight and shed his own armor and cape.

Marth followed suit, stripping down to only his tunic and pants seeing as he had no proper sleep ware.

He then looked back up to Ike, face heating up immensely.

 _"What are you doing?!"_ He whispered out harshly in utter shock.

The mercenary turned to him, confusion on his face,

"Uh...getting ready for bed?"

The royal's face couldn't get any redder as his sapphire eyes seemed to be stuck on the other,

"B-But...your decency!"

Realizing what was the matter, Ike's puzzled look turned into one of sinister amusement.

There he was.

Shirtless.

What a horrible crime he was committing in this moment.

His bare chest and bulging muscles appeared to be too much for the younger bluenette to take in.

And, Ike was having a grand time watching as the other attempted to keep his composure together.

He chuckled quietly before he simply removed the bed covers and climbed in on the right-hand side.

Mischievous cobalt eyes then glanced back to the tomato faced bluenette who hadn't budged from his spot in front of the bed.

Ike smirked at him,

"Getting in? Or, are you just gonna stand there all night catching flies?"

Blushing even harder, Marth didn't realize his mouth was gaping open in awe from the masculine beauty set before him.

Shutting it closed, the royal gave a quiet whimper before walking over to the other side of the bed before joining the other swordsman under the covers.

Oh, how he hated this.

But, at the same time he couldn't keep himself from getting some small enjoyment out of it.

And, unbeknownst to him, the mercenary reciprocated the same feeling.

The darker bluenette glanced over at his flustered companion, smiling softly,

"Good night, Princess."

Marth pouted back at him, before a yawn suddenly ruined his moment of agitation.

Ike chuckled at the sight before rolling his back to the other,

"Don't let the bed bugs bite."

The Altean native gasped at that before jumping up in surprise and looking under the covers.

Startled, the commander turned back around before laughing quietly,

"It's a saying you moron. I didn't mean it literally. Gods!"

Marth whined in embarrassment before flipping over and hiding himself under the comforter.

Shaking his head in amusement, Ike turned back around before following the fitful prince into slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meta Knight is such a DAD 
> 
> (If you are unaware of his eye color changes, pink=amusement; which I tried hinting at haha) 
> 
> Anywho, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and am excited for what’s to come! 
> 
> I hope this chapter brought you all joy, as well! 
> 
> And, of course, thank you for all your wonderful kudos and comments, per usual! You guys are the best! 
> 
> Until next chapter! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	3. Chapter 3

The rising sun peeked its way through the thin curtains of the hotel room, where separate cascades of its light shined down on the three dozing warriors.

However, a quiet whimper came from the bed taking up the majority of the room space, disturbing the other occupant's peaceful rest.

Snuffling quietly, cobalt eyes squinted themselves open at the sudden noise that awoke him.

They widened immediately when the darker bluenette realized he had moved in his sleep.

And, so had the prince.

The young royal had turned over in the night, hogging most of the blanket as his sleeping face was just a few inches from Ike's own.

Laying on his stomach, the mercenary glanced over to find his own arm lain across the other's thin back, causing his bare chest to almost line up against Marth's clothed one.

The older male blushed lightly, but kept quiet as to not wake the teal-haired swordsman, who let out another whine of distress before his face scrunched up in discomfort.

Ike frowned at that.

Before he gently removed his arm from the prince and reached it up to brush those messy bangs away from the younger's face.

The contact seemed to calm down the other, allowing him to return to a peaceful rest.

Smiling fondly, the mercenary continued his ministrations, playing with those teal locks for a few more minutes until the shorter male began to stir.

Ike quickly retracted his hand, bringing it back to his side as he amusingly watched the other wake up.

Sapphire eyes blinked open, a hand coming up to rub at them before they slowly came to rest on the smirking face inches from his own.

"Good morning."

Marth gasped out in surprise, face burning crimson as he struggled to scoot out from the tangled blankets around him before he suddenly tumbled backward off the bed, bringing the comforter down with him,

"Aaah!"

Landing hard on the dusty wooden floor, the young royal winced at the pain blossoming on his backside before frowning up at the cackling mercenary.

Said warrior crawled over to Marth's side of the bed before peering down at him,

"To be honest, I was expecting _you_ to be the one to kick me out of the bed with those lanky legs of yours. Not the other way around."

The prince pouted at that before trying to pat down his massive bed head.

"You did that on purpose," he grumbled out.

Chuckling lightly, Ike's eyes held nothing but amusement as he continued to tease the other,

"It's not my fault little Princey gets scared so easily."

Marth huffed at that,

"I do not!"

"Do to."

"Do not!"

"Do to—."

"What in blazes are the two of you doing up this early?"

The quarreling bluenettes startled before glancing over to find a grumpy looking Meta Knight shifting his face mask in place.

Both young swordsmen looked quite sheepish, realizing their silly argument must have woken up their round companion.

"S-Sorry to disturb your sleep Sir Meta Knight...if anything, I blame Ike," the royal commented before glaring angrily at said boy.

The mercenary's mouth gaped open at that before he measured the younger male's facial expression with a smirk,

"Well, it's not my fault your clumsy ass fell out of bed, _Your Highness."_

"You scared me!"

The darker bluenette's smug grin grew wider,

"Ah ha! So you do admit to being a Scaredy Cat!”

Marth grit his teeth as he ripped himself free of the blankets before tackling Ike on top of the bed.

The royal blue-haired swordsman started to laugh, knowing the other was way too weak to win, and eventually flipped the scrawny prince over, planting his larger, muscular body on top of him.

He smirked sinisterly down at the flushed bluenette beneath him, who was trying to catch his breath,

"You wanna try that again?"

Marth slapped him in the face.

The mercenary hardly winced.

Shocked, the prince started wriggling underneath him, trying to get free.

And, putting up quite the temper tantrum when Ike wouldn't release him.

Beside himself on the couch, the spherical warrior put a gloved hand over his eyes.

"It is way too early for this," he spoke quietly to himself.

He then glanced up to the older bluenette, letting out a sigh of annoyance,

"Ike. Let him go."

Rolling his eyes, the stronger male first bent down to blow a raspberry in the prince's face, causing the younger to scrunch his nose in disgust, before the former hopped off the bed.

The mercenary smirked at the irritated puffball before making his way into the bathroom to take care of his morning needs.

Meta Knight then turned his attention back to the teal-haired royal, who carefully placed his golden circlet atop his head before he patted himself down some more,

"Are you alright?"

Agitated, Marth glanced up to give the mercenary one last glare before he answered the knight.

But, it faltered when he watched the other begin brushing his teeth.

Ike was still shirtless.

Cheeks glowing pink, the prince looked away before turning his colored face towards his shorter companion, clearing his throat,

"Y-Yes...um..." Marth couldn't help himself as he got stuck glancing back up again, sapphire eyes gluing onto those broad shoulders and glistening pectorals in the terrible restroom lighting.

Meta Knight smirked under his mask as he silently watched the prince.

_'These two are one in the same...and they don't even know it.'_

Quietly clearing his throat, he managed to catch the other's attention once more,

"Why don't you get ready? Since we're all awake, we might as well start our journey early after picking up a good amount of provisions from the vendors out front. Plus, I think you need a bit of a distraction from...that."

Pink eyes shifted towards the bathroom door, causing the younger bluenette to blush even harder when he realized the Popstar resident had noticed his admirable staring at their comrade.

Chuckling lowly behind his mask, the navy puffball reached a gloved hand over to grab Marth's armor, which had been placed neatly on the floor the night before,

"It is quite alright, Your Highness. Now, collect yourself and dress, please."

And, the tomato faced royal did just that.

* * *

"I honestly don't know how long I can go on for, you guys. We've been doing this for a _week_ now."

Knight and prince turned to face the tired mercenary, who was lazily dragging Ragnell in the dirt behind them.

Marth turned around to look at the older male, a small smirk on his face,

"Oh, now look who's the slacking one. Come on, Ike, I hardly doubt we've walked that many miles today. And, we barely ran into any of those green creatures or those other ones with those obscure contraptions...whatever you call'em..."

"Wheels," Ike and Meta Knight replied in unison, amusement showing in both their faces at the youngest's lack of modern knowledge.

Marth noticed.

Turning back around, he waved a hand at them in a poor way of expressing his thanks, his face blushing in embarrassment.

The spherical warrior and his taller companion just snickered behind the red-faced Altean native.

"I can hear you."

Clearing his throat, Meta Knight flew over and settled beside the prince once more as Ike came up to the royal's other side.

"We are simply enjoying your company, Prince Marth. No need to be so bashful."

"Or uptight. Loosen them pretty panties up."

Marth glared at Ike, his statement causing the younger bluenette's face to burn crimson all the way up to his ears,

"Goodness! Do you have any civility? _At all,_ commander?"

Ike looked up in thought for a moment, bringing his golden blade up to rest on his shoulders,

"Hmmm...ah...no."

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, the prince chose to ignore the older swordsman as he continued to walk alongside him.

Suddenly, Meta Knight shot out a hand in front of both of them, causing their entire trio to stop.

The royal glanced down in concern,

"Meta Knight? Is something—."

"Shhh...hold on. I sense...someone or something," the round soldier glanced around suspiciously, "...is watching us."

Marth gulped nervously, unconsciously taking a step closer to Ike as he placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

The mercenary noticed the other's anxiousness.

Without his permission, a sudden surge of protection for the royal sliced through him as he planted himself securely behind the Altean native in a defensive stance with Ragnell held firmly in one hand.

The prince turned back to him, worried sapphire eyes silently grateful that the stubborn commander had his back.

Cobalt eyes locked onto them, a moment of reassurance and comfort flashing through them before they hardened and focused back on the situation at hand.

Together, the two swordsmen watched as Meta Knight brought out Galaxia, giving Marth the hint to unsheathe Falchion.

With a flash, an arrow shot out and slammed into the prince's chest plate.

Gasping in surprise, the teal-haired soldier fell back into the darker bluenette who held him steady as they both looked down.

Thankfully, the shorter male's armor was thick enough to prevent such weaponry to slice all the way through.

The two simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

Which was short lived when suddenly groups of the green Primids along with the other monsters on wheels, adorned with spikes and scythes surrounded them.

Then, all three heard rumbling from above, where electrical clouds sizzled and frizzled loudly, shooting out a few lightening strikes in their direction.

"It's an ambush!" Meta Knight shouted before flying forward and fighting one-on-one with one of the spiked monsters, it's tires squealing in protest when the armored puffball refused to let the enemy pass by him.

Both Marth and Ike looked at one another before approaching as many enemies as they could, slicing and dicing through the plush, jade zombie-like creatures, violet sludge flying everywhere as they did so.

As Ike cut Ragnell through one of the grotesque flying eyeballs, a disturbing creature the mercenary will deny he ever saw, his cobalt eyes scanned around to see what other enemies needed tending too.

Then his eyes locked on the prince.

The younger swordsman was struggling to dodge the large scythes of one of their larger enemies, a simple metallic sphere, who's only way of defeat was if you slice through its body at the perfect angle.

But, unbeknownst to the Altean native, one of the darker electrical clouds were honing in on him.

Sapphire eyes bent in frustration as their sweaty teal bangs were wiped to the side before Falchion gleamed once more.

Finally, he landed one final blow, causing the giant and incredibly dangerous monster to disappear in a flash of light.

_'Wait...a flash of—.'_

The prince's thoughts were cut off when another bolt of lightening landed right beside him.

Jumping in surprise, the young warrior spun around, eyes widening in horror as the black cloud descended upon him,

"H-How...what—?!”

As the cloud shot out another flash of electricity, with perfect aim at the prince, a sudden barricade put itself in between them as Ike held Ragnell in front of him to block the blow.

Before he angrily turned towards Marth,

"Don't just stand there you idiot! Fight!"

Broken from the trance he hadn't realized he was in, the shorter bluenette simply nodded before jumping up towards their airborne attacker, dolphin slashing right through him.

However, it only caused a hesitance in the cloud before it readied up to attack again.

Ike growled in frustration before throwing his golden sword up in the air,

"Aether!"

Ragnell slashed through the flying enemy before its owner landed beside Marth.

Both blue swordsmen then watched as the dark cloud finally exploded before disappearing.

Breathing heavily, Marth looked up to a pissed off Ike.

"Care to explain to me what that was? This is the _third time_ you've frozen up in battle, Marth! What the _hell_ man?!"

Said boy gulped nervously.

He hadn't meant to.

His mind just...has been a little bit preoccupied for this past week.

And, he hasn't gotten that much sleep for...certain reasons.

But, the other two didn't need to know that.

He was fine.

"I-I...I'm sorry, Ike, I—."

"Save it. Just...," the mercenary eyed him worriedly, "don't let it happen again."

Sighing with a pang of remorse, Marth brought his fingers through his teal hair.

Until he realized his golden accessory was missing.

He let out a quiet gasp, which grabbed the attention of his two allies once more.

Sapphire eyes shined with sudden worry as he began sifting through the sand desperately beneath him before running over to another spot and making the same attempt.

With the majority of their ambushed enemies slaughtered, the older two warriors wiped their swords clean of the purple substance as they silently watched the younger in concern as he desperately ran around.

"Where is it?!"

The Altean native was becoming frantic.

That circlet was everything to him.

He needed to find it.

Covered in dirt and muck, the royal threw all his own decency to the wind  as he continued to push away sand and dirt to see if his one piece of home was hidden beneath.

His eyes pricked with unshed tears when his gloved hands came up empty once more.

Until someone cleared their throat behind him,

"Looking for this?"

Watery sapphire eyes glanced up, coming face to face with his beloved golden headband.

Ike held it out to him gently, noticing the other's frantic look beginning to form into one of relief as the prince tried to discreetly wipe at his teary eyes.

So caught up in his distracted thoughts, the young royal had failed to notice that his tiara had fallen beside the mercenary's boots.

He sniffled quietly before reaching for the circlet,

"T-Thank you."

The Crimean native nodded silently before helping the other up to his feet,

"What's so special about that thing anyway, it's just a simple headband, no?"

Placing the golden accessory back in its rightful place, Marth's tone suddenly became defensive,

"N-No! It's much more than that! You...you would never understand _mercenary."_

The sudden harsh bite coming from the other's tongue was quite surprising, where even Meta Knight took a step back in shock along with Ike.

"Woah, Princess...you gotta relax. It was just a question—."

"I don't care. It's not something I wish to discuss with the likes of you. Now. Let's keep moving...and...,”

Concerned cobalt eyes locked onto those large, sapphire orbs.

Which were filled with a never-ending hurt once again, a pain the mercenary had to admit to himself that he still could not understand.

Marth held that look for a moment, before those sorrowful eyes of his turned cold as he harshly whispered out,

“Just _drop it."_

With that, the prince angrily kept his fiery sapphire eyes forward as he marched right past his two comrades.

This was no time to allow his emotions to get the better of him.

He almost lost his most important possession.

His sister's circlet.

Bestowed upon him the day she sacrificed her life for his.

And, thank the Gods she had been spared instead of—

The prince shook his head as his eyes pricked with tears once more.

_'Stop it. Compose yourself, Marth. The war is over. Elice is safe.'_

As the haughty royal continued along a step ahead, the other two swordsmen followed behind him worriedly.

"You have any idea what that was about?" Ike asked his round companion.

Meta Knight shook his head, but his golden eyes were filled with the same amount of concern as the mercenary's cobalt ones,

"I am not sure...but something does seem to be troubling him."

The darker bluenette nodded in agreement before his brows bent in thought,

"You think it may be related to his constant freezing on the battlefield these past few days? I can't be the only one who's noticed."

Oh, the navy puffball noticed alright.

Even he's had to step in front of the prince more than once when the younger boy would suddenly stand stock still in the middle of a fight.

"Possibly," the knight muttered out, "For now, let's just leave him to himself. We will get our answers eventually."

Ike frowned at that,

"Well, I hope it's soon because I don't need to put my fucking life on the line just because Princey needs some 'me' time."

Meta Knight chuckled at the other's annoyance, noticing the hint of concern hidden within those words.

Most likely Marth was fine, and has just simply become riled up by the constant fighting.

Who wouldn’t be?

This will all blow over soon enough.

Well,

That was what Meta Knight hoped for anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof...it's getting a bit more intense now my dudes 
> 
> BUT OH MY GOODNESS CAN I JUST SAY THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WONDERFUL KUDOS AND COMMENTS AND READING AND JUST 
> 
> AAAH! 
> 
> YOU ARE ALL SO SWEET AND SUPPORTIVE! 
> 
> THANK YOU! <3 
> 
> Until next chapter! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	4. Chapter 4

“ _How_ _is that possible?!”_

_“I don’t know, Your Highness, but we need to evacuate immediately. Most of our front lines have fallen and the enemy is now making their way through our armored knights in front of the castle. We no longer have the advantage. We must move, now!”_

_The young prince was extremely conflicted at his lead knight’s shocking information,_

_“B-But...I do not understand. I defeated Medeus! He wasn’t supposed to be risen for another thousand years, Jagen!”_

_The white-haired soldier growled in agitation._

_They didn’t have time for this._

_“Gharnef summoned him. Now, please no more questions until—.”_

_Marth’s face paled._

_Gharnef should be dead._

_He had killed him with his own hand and sword._

_“Where is Elice?” The bluenette interrupted, keeping his sudden panic under control._

_Jagen gave the other a confused look, which then turned into one of sudden realization at why his liege had asked that particular question,_

_“Last I had seen her, she was escaping the castle with Malledus...”_

_Marth’s legs almost buckled beneath him._

_This was just like last time._

_He needed to find his sister._

_Now._

_Before it was too late._

_Keeping himself together, the prince ran off without another word to his knight, ignoring the latter as he called out to him._

_The terrified bluenette ran through the corridors, down all the various flights of stairs, searching every room he came across with Falchion glimmering in his shaking grip._

_“Where is she?!” He whispered frantically to himself._

_Suddenly, a dark chuckle caused the young royal to skid in his tracks._

_He turned towards the sound._

_Sapphire eyes widened in horror as they made contact with his sister’s sorrowful azure orbs._

_Locked strongly in Gharnef’s grip, Elice was faintly struggling to get away as the dark sorcerer’s magic continued making her incredibly weak._

_“E-Elice...?”_

_The princess’ eyes were beginning to mist over as she gave her younger brother a small, reassuring smile,_

_“M-Mar—!”_

_But, the soft spoken call of his name was cut short by Gharnef tightening his harsh hold on the older royal._

_Marth’s brows bent in outrage,_

_“Let her go! I-I killed you! You should be dead!”_

_Sinister pale eyes looked toward the young prince shaking under the doorway of the small, dark room they found themselves in._

_The grotesque enemy let out a dark chuckle,_

_“Don’t be so ignorant Little Prince...it is no easy task to truly rid of me...”_

_Marth growled lowly before taking a step forward, ready to charge at the mage—_

_“Ah ah ah. One more step and your beloved big sister is done for. My power is no match for her own...healers like herself are just too weak...”_

_Then, an ominous grin broke through disgustingly chapped lips,_

_“Yet, she shows promise. Last time she did quite well under my control...but, unbeknownst to my past self, it was quite a mistake that I had chosen to spare her...”_

_Marth watched in horror as Gharnef suddenly held his hand towards Elice’s face, sucking every last drop of her life essence from her._

_“N-NO! ELICE!”_

_The prince charged forward, Falchion shimmering in hand as he slashed it towards the dark sorcerer._

_But, Gharnef vanished._

_All that remained was Elice._

_Lifeless._

_Her pale body lain motionless on the carpeted floor._

_Tears welled up in sapphire eyes as Marth fell to his knees beside his sibling._

_He brought her close, holding her tightly as he sobbed brokenly into her long locks of cerulean hair,_

_“E-Elice...I’m so...s-sorry...this is all my...f-fault...”_

_..._

Gasping loudly, Marth shot up, his woolly shawl falling off his shoulders and into his lap.

He was shaking from head to toe as a cold sweat continued to drench his entire person.

Swallowing thickly, the terrified royal held his trembling hands out in front of him.

_‘It was just a dream. Just...the same stupid nightmare. Calm down. Elice is safe. You’re fine...’_

But, his silent consoling to himself did nothing as the prince hiccuped quietly, a few tears trailing down his face.

He swiped at them angrily.

_‘Stop it. Crying isn’t going to do anything. You’re a prince. Act like it.’_

Biting his lip, Marth brought a shaky hand through his messy teal hair before glancing over at his golden circlet resting neatly beside his armor.

He reached for it.

Holding his sister’s crown tightly in his hands, the young bluenette sniffled quietly as another tear escaped, falling onto the glistening tiara.

“This is the fifth time this week.”

Gasping out in surprise, watery sapphire eyes shot over to concerned golden ones,

“M-Meta Knight...?”

The spherical warrior stepped out from under his cape, forgoing putting on his mask as he carefully made his way over to the distraught prince,

“You have not been sleeping well...or at all, have you?”

The knight’s voice was stern, but his yellow eyes held nothing but worry for the younger soldier.

Marth looked shocked,

“H-How...?”

The Popstar resident took a seat beside his comrade, placing a gentle arm on the younger’s still quivering back,

“After our ambush last week, I have chosen some nights to stay up and keep watch in case anyone were to attack us during our rest. Thankfully, we now have this cave to keep us secluded, but I still chose to keep watch tonight, as well. And...I began noticing your behavior during the night a few days ago, and well...I’ve realized that you tend to refuse sleep after having your...nightmares.”

Marth looked down in shame, fingers fiddling with the golden circlet in his hands.

Meta Knight sighed before looking up to the upset prince,

“Do you wish to discuss them?”

The bluenette shook his head immediately as he quickly wiped at his eyes once more, not wanting to express too much vulnerability,

“T-That is not necessary S-Sir Meta Knight...but, I do appreciate the concern.”

The round soldier understood his companion’s decision not to share his haunting dreams.

But, he couldn’t make himself drop the subject.

These nightly disturbances were creating a huge impact on the younger’s performance in battle.

Him and Ike both almost getting killed on multiple occasions while trying to compensate for the royal’s slacking.

“Prince Marth...I do not intend to insult you, but this behavior of yours is putting quite a dent in your fighting tactics...For instance, just yesterday you were taken down by a single one of those hideous green creatures...And, the young, skilled swordsman that I know is usually able to slash through ten of them in one hit.”

Biting his lip, the teal-haired boy looked away.

He knew Meta Knight was right.

And, apparently, his off-beat behavior hadn’t gone unnoticed by just himself.

Sapphire eyes then shifted to shine down at the navy puffball.

“I-I don’t know what to do about them Meta Knight...it’s the same one every night,” the prince whimpered out quietly.

The Popstar Warrior’s eyes bent in anguish as he placed his arm comfortingly on the prince’s.

“As I had offered before, talking about them may help.”

“I-I can’t,” the young bluenette hiccuped.

“Yes you can.”

Marth shook his head once more.

He didn’t want to think back on those vivid images.

It hurt too much to see his sister like that.

His everything—

“N-No!” Marth whispered out harshly, brows drawing in anger as the hand connected to the arm Meta Knight was holding onto balled up into a fist.

Oh, this was very concerning to the spherical knight.

But, he relented for the time being, not wanting to wake up the lightly snoring mercenary just a few feet from them.

“Alright...relax, Your Highness. When you are ready to face whatever fears you are keeping to yourself...I will be here,” the round soldier calmly spoke before adding,

“And, so will Ike.”

Marth frowned at that, his current thoughts halting for a moment.

“No mercenary would understand what I’ve been through. Especially, not  _him,”_ he bit out harshly.

The knight huffed,

“You do not mean that.”

Rolling his yes, the prince set the tiara in his lap before crossing his arms, a light blush coating his cheeks,

“Well...I-I...it doesn’t matter! I will not speak a word of my troubles with either of you. It is of unimportance and an utter distraction to what is important now...,”

The younger male then let out a shaky sigh,

“Please, Sir Meta Knight...this is something I truly do not wish to discuss...i-it hurts to much to even think about.”

Golden eyes still held a large amount of concern, but the round warrior finally let out a defeated sigh,

“Alright...as long as you promise to try and go back to seep.”

Marth whined softly at that before picking up Elice’s circlet and placing it on top of his head, choosing to wear it as a comfort for the rest of the night.

“Fiiiine,” he dragged out before laying down and curling up once more under his royal cape along with wrapping his azure patterned cloak back around his shoulders.

“Thank you,” Meta Knight spoke quietly before making his way back to his own cape, crawling underneath.

“Goodnight Meta Knight...and um...thanks,” Marth commented shyly.

Smiling softly beneath his makeshift blanket, the knight answered,

“You are quiet welcome, Your Highness.”

* * *

The three swordsmen never seemed to catch a break.

One moment, they’re given some free time to catch a few wild desert lizards for a meal to eat later.

Not the first meat of choice either fighter preferred, but it was their only option to making their usual diet of bread and potatoes a bit more interesting.

And, the next, they were being ambushed once more by an army of Primids.

It was a never ending cycle of nonsense.

“It’s like their numbers keep quadrupling in size every damn time! For fuck’s sake!” Ike shouted angrily as he slashed through five more sword wielding enemies as more purple sludge splattered all over him.

No one answered him, but the other two soldiers silently agreed as they continued fighting through all of their plush, red-eyed enemies.

As Marth had finished slicing through three more of the jade monsters, a sudden mob of them appeared out of nowhere, surrounding him as they held their fire-guns at the ready.

The prince gasped in surprise, and before he could make the first move, they all shot at him at once.

Crying out, the young royal body slammed himself onto the hard ground before trying to crawl his way through the large pack of enemies.

Luckily, all they knew how to do was fire straight forward.

Squeezing himself out of the fire, the young royal managed to stand himself back up before he was suddenly slammed back down once more.

A foot crushed his chest as a sword sliced deeply into the teal-haired swordsman’s left shoulder,

Aaah!!”

Both Ike and Meta Knight almost dropped their weapons at the sudden shriek of pain eliciting from the youngest member of their team.

They both turned simultaneously to find the injured soldier buried beneath more of the advancing green henchmen, failing to claw himself out from underneath the growing mob.

“Dammit,” Ike growled to himself before he finished cutting through the enemy in front of him and charging his way over to rescue his comrade.

Meta Knight flew right by his side, Galaxia ready in hand.

There were at least forty of those annoying, lethargic creatures piling on top of Marth.

Falchion had gone missing in the crowd of enemy forces and the bluenette was now at a loss on how to fight.

He was never good with hand-to-hand combat, his physical strength being the equivalent to that of a simple village boy.

An inferior condition his late father used to berate him harshly for.

Suddenly, Marth felt his eyes prick at those haunting memories.

_‘Stop it! This is not the time to think about HIM right now! Get yourself together and fight, Marth!’_

But, the poor boy had no advantage whatsoever as he continued to push with all of his might to at least stop the Primid atop him from obstructing his airway fully.

“I-I can’t,” he whimpered quietly to himself, his elbows starting to shake underneath all the pressure.

Just as he was about to lose it, a large golden blade slashed through the top section of the Primids before a second, spiked sword followed through and took down the second batch of the green creatures.

Ragnell came down a second time, flinging the one enemy still perched atop Marth along with all the others away from the panting prince.

Meta Knight was by the royal’s side first, looking horridly at the ragged cut dripping blood on the younger male’s shoulder.

“That...does not look good,” the Popstar resident commented worriedly as Ike came over.

The Crimean reached down to help the other up, grasping onto the hand that was not attached to the shorter swordsman’s badly injured shoulder,

“We will take care of that later. For now, we have a few more of these annoying assholes to take care of.”

Then, Ike turned fully towards Marth.

Cobalt eyes shined with panic and concern for a brief moment before glaring daggers at the younger soldier,

“And as for _you._ Dammit to hell, Marth! Meta Knight and I can’t keep constantly watching over you like a fucking infant! You need to get your shit together! I’ve seen staff wielders fight better than you! It’s _pathetic!”_

Ike grit his teeth before turning his back on the royal and slashing Ragnell angrily through the incoming zombie-like monsters.

The prince flinched badly at the other’s latter insult.

_‘You pathetic weakling! You’re a disgrace to Anri the Great!’_

His Father’s words echoed harshly in the shorter male’s mind as his sapphire eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

But, Marth gulped them down before picking up his lost sword and following behind Ike as he helped his other two allies defeat the remaining of the Subspace enemies, ignoring the pain blossoming through his still bleeding shoulder.

However, the prince’s sudden crestfallen look of shame and remorse did not go unnoticed by the round puffball fighting alongside him.

Golden eyes watched him warily as they finally finished slaughtering the rest of the Primids.

Rolling back his shoulders in aggravation, the mercenary messily wiped his golden sword clean of the violet sludge before stomping his way over to Marth and Meta Knight,

“Let me see your shoulder.”

Marth blinked at him before hesitantly walking up to the irritated soldier.

Although extremely pissed off at the younger swordsman, Ike gently removed the other’s shoulder armor before examining the wound.

The teal-haired royal hissed at the action.

Now that the battle was over, the pain was really starting to become unbearable.

Meta Knight flew up next to the commander to also get his own peak at their companion’s bloody injury.

Cobalt eyes scanned over it worriedly before they hardened in anger.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you were fucking paying attention and not clumsily letting yourself get exposed out in the open for an easy attack. What were you thinking, huh?” Ike commented harshly before pushing the prince away from him,

“The _fuck_ has been going on with you lately?! This lazy ass shit-fighting of yours has been nothing but trouble for the two of us!”

The mercenary gestured to him and Meta Knight angrily before continuing,

“I mean, I get it. This whole situation _sucks._ But, you can’t expect the two of us to heed on your every hand and foot when _Your Highness_ isn’t manly enough to fight his own damn battles—!”

“Ike, that’s enough,” Meta Knight growled out quietly as he stepped over to the two bluenettes.

Cobalt eyes glared down at stern golden orbs,

“Don’t defend him! You know _damn_ well how ridiculous it has been in doing the extra work around here for this lazy piece of—!”

 _“Stop it!”_ Marth screamed.

Both Ike and Meta looked over at the heaving royal in surprise, before the former growled at him,

“What? You finally deciding _now_ you wanna pick a fight?”

The teal-haired swordsman grit his teeth in anger,

“I would watch your tongue before you speak such ill language about me. You don’t know what you are saying so I would shut your trap while you’re at it, _mercenary.”_

The spiked-haired warrior puffed out his chest at the underlying insult in the other’s words before getting up close and personal with the heated prince,

“Make me, _Princess.”_

Marth growled in haughty anger as he pulled back the fist of his good shoulder before uncharacteristically punching Ike in the face.

Well, that was his intention.

Gloved hand collided hard into heavy metal before Meta Knight was seen flying backward and landing roughly into the dirt behind Ike, his now scathed mask flinging right off him at the impact.

Having enough of the bickering of his two comrades, the spherical soldier flew himself in between the two of them just as Marth threw his punch.

Which, to the knight’s surprise, was much stronger than he was expecting.

Both blue swordsman became quiet, shock overflowing both of them as Ike looked over at Meta Knight before slowly turning his head back to Marth,

“Now look what you did,” he growled out lowly.

Hands covered over his mouth, sapphire eyes watered over before they flickered over to Meta Knight, who was slowly starting to get up.

They then looked back into furious cobalt orbs before Marth suddenly turned and bolted away from his companions.

Looking up in surprise, golden eyes watched as the navy blue cape ran off towards their current living quarters, the hidden cave off to the side of the small mountains that they were planning to walk through in the morning.

Meta Knight sighed.

He was about to reassure the prince that he was fine and that it was only an accident, but the upset bluenette escaped Ike’s angry gaze before he had the chance.

Speaking of, the mercenary huffed in exasperation before looking down at the knight,

“Are you alright?”

The Popstar warrior simply brushed himself off before wiping the small amount of blood on his cheek and picking up his face mask, returning it to its rightful place,

“I am fine. You two on the other hand, are not.”

Ike rolled his eyes before planting Ragnell into the dirt as he plopped down tiredly next to his round companion.

To be honest, he felt awful for how he took the situation.

Yes, Marth was really beginning to piss him off.

But...

After seeing those terrified, remorseful sapphire eyes well up with tears just before the prince ran away...

That almost broke Ike.

“No...we aren’t. _Gods,_ Meta Knight. I don’t know what to do about him. He isn’t really what I said he was but...what happened? He was fighting so well, much better than I originally thought, and now...he’s this massive train-wreck we keep having to save over and over...it’s exhausting,” the commander paused before scoffing quietly, “I mean, as a damsel, he really is starting to live up to the nickname I gave him.”

Chuckling quietly, yellow eyes peered over to where Marth had run off to,

“I think the two of you need to talk about your constant fighting, though. That’s also another thing that is getting out of hand and can be dangerous for the coming journey ahead of us.”

Ike chose to ignore how right his ally’s words were as he followed the other’s line of sight.

The most likely pouting young prince popped into the mercenary’s mind once more before he sighed quietly,

“You should probably go check on him.”

Golden eyes flickered up to see cobalt ones staring over towards the cave in concern,

“Why not you?”

The blue-haired swordsman huffed lightly before standing up and picking up Ragnell,

“Because I’m terrible with emotions and do not feel like using the little energy I have left on them. So, I’m going to go find some more lizards for tonight’s dinner, instead.”

Meta Knight sighed.

He tried.

But, the two really did need to work out their differences soon if they wanted to continue surviving in this wasteland.

Letting the older bluenette go off to catch their dinner, the knight flew over to their hideout to go see what the prince was up to.

Puffy, red sapphire eyes were drilled into the ground angrily as Marth had himself huddled in a corner, his cape wrapped around himself.

He had done a terrible job at cleaning and bandaging up his shoulder wound one-handed.

But, his guilt at his earlier behavior made him care less about his painfully throbbing injury as he just decided he would go to bed early and ignore everyone else for the rest of the evening.

They were probably still angry with him.

Most likely planning on leaving him behind.

Since he was so _pathetic—_

“I think that’s enough.”

Eyes widening in surprise, a few tears fell past them as the pitying prince looked up at the golden ones glaring down at him.

Marth gasped before sitting up quickly, wiping at his face as he did so,

“M-Meta Knight! Are you alright? I am so so sorry—!”

The puffball hushed him quietly,

“Please, it was a simple accident, Your Highness. If you had remained with us, I would have told you so earlier instead of you laying here alone and wallowing in your repentant thoughts.”

Once again, the prince’s face shined with guilt as he looked down in shame.

The knight sighed,

“That is exactly what I am talking about.”

Marth blinked at him before dropping the subject, sniffling quietly,

“Where’s Ike?”

Knowing what the other was doing, the spherical soldier chose to let it go for the time being as he answered,

“Finding dinner. He will be back shortly.”

The young royal frowned before laying back down again and rolling over, facing away from his companion,

“Well, I’m not hungry. I’m going to bed.”

Golden eyes flashed red in anger before Meta Knight let himself calm down.

It was highly unusual for the prince to be this stubborn.

“You cannot skip dinner. You need your energy for tomorrow and the coming days for our trip into the mountains.”

“I don’t care.”

The navy puffball grit his teeth in annoyance, knowing that the younger male was just extremely upset and refusing to cooperate at this time.

So, he relented.

But, he would definitely keep an eye on the prince,

“Be that way then. However, I will make sure Ike saves a lizard for you.”

With that, Meta Knight let the bluenette rest as he started to get a fire ready.

Hopefully, dinner with the mercenary will be a little less gloomy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of this chapter made me upsetti spaghetti :( 
> 
> But, it’s all in purpose for continuing into the next chapter.
> 
> So, I shall see you guys then! 
> 
> AND THANK YOU LOVELIES FOR SUCH AMAZING KUDOS AND COMMENTS AS ALWAYS! <3
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Surprise! A super fast update! 
> 
> (Lmao I was actually really excited to continue on to Chapter 5. And here we are, where I managed to dedicate these past two days to it and completely blowing off my university work) 
> 
> WORTH IT 
> 
> And...I truly hope it is worth the read because this chapter of heart-to-heart ended up being incredibly loooooong. 
> 
> And with that, 
> 
> Enjoy!

"Well, that tasted utterly horrible just like last time."

Ike spit on the ground in disgust, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before digging into his potato to stave off the taste of overcooked lizard.

Meta Knight nodded in agreement, placing his barely half eaten reptile on the floor beside him.

Munching loudly, cobalt eyes shifted over to the sleeping prince on the ground, huddled tightly in the same corner the spherical warrior had left him in,

"So, Princess isn't joining us?"

Golden eyes peered over at their dozing companion, flashing in concern before looking up at the darker bluenette.

"No...he chose to turn in early for the night."

The commander nodded, still looking at the younger swordsman worriedly.

"He's okay, Ike. Some rest will do him some good."

Although their argument was quite horrendous earlier, it didn't deter the older bluenette from showing some concern for the other's strange behavior.

The two fighters continued their meal in silence, enjoying the calm atmosphere around them, where the crickets chimed in melody as the dying flame of their man-made fire crackled softly.

Giving himself a nice, long stretch, with both of his shoulders popping in relief, Ike then grabbed what remained of their scraps of food and unceremoniously threw them into some bushes off to the side of the cave wall, knowing eventually they'll decompose somehow.

Grabbing the wet cloth Meta Knight offered him, the darker bluenette wiped his hands clean before tossing the small towel back into their pack of provisions.

He then shed his armor and cape, leaving his shirt on as he sat himself down on a small stone ledge that was conveniently situated just before the large opening of the auburn crusted cave.

"Are you not going to sleep?" Meta Knight asked him quietly.

The younger swordsman simply shook his head before turning to the navy puffball, who was quietly removing his own armor, as well,

"Nah...not for a while anyway. I thought I may as well keep a look out for us until I get tired. Today was...rough."

Cobalt orbs shifted over to look at the teal-haired royal once more as he finished his quiet statement.

The round knight nodded in understanding before he took off his cape and shifted himself underneath it,

"Well, thank you. Just, don't be up any longer than you have to. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Ike nodded at that before turning back around as he let his eyes admire the shining moon above him,

_'Oh Father...how I wish you were still here...I hope everyone back home in Crimea is doing well without me. I know you are watching over them in my absence.'_

* * *

Cobalt eyes struggled to keep themselves open as their owner kept his lolling head propped up on his knuckles.

A yawn suddenly broke through the mercenary's mouth as he roughly rubbed at his eyes.

It had been two hours since dinner, and Ike was now starting to feel the effects of the heavy carbs taking over his system.

They always made him more tired than usual.

 _'I guess I should head to bed now. I'll be quite useless tomorrow if I don't get a proper amount of sleep,'_ the commander thought to himself silently before standing up.

He was just about to adjust his small sleeping space and tuck under his awaiting red cape when he saw something shift in the corner of his eye.

Looking up, he noticed that the young prince a few paces away from him was beginning to squirm restlessly in his secluded section of the cave, letting out a sudden whine of distress.

Brows drawing in concern, Ike stepped over his belongings and quietly tiptoed over to the other bluenette.

Last time he saw that look on the other's face was back at the inn a few weeks prior, when the two had shared the same bed.

But, Ike didn't recall the shorter male getting this worked up last time.

Marth started hyperventilating as his legs began kicking under his cape.

"Nah...N...N-No...E-Elice...!" He whimpered quietly, still fully asleep.

Cobalt eyes shined with conflicted worry as the mercenary carefully bent down beside his younger comrade,

"Marth."

The royal couldn't hear him as his head started to flip from side to side frantically, his arms and legs shoving the cape away from his body as they continued to flail around.

Gritting his teeth, Ike held the panic-stricken male down as he tried getting him to wake up,

"Marth!"

The mercenary did not like seeing the other swordsman like this.

Hating to admit it, the teal-haired royal's sleep-ridden panic was making Ike's heart constrict painfully.

He needed to relieve the boy from whatever was tormenting his mind,

"Come on, dammit! Wake up!"

The commander shook the other gently, not wanting to aggravate Marth's injured shoulder.

Suddenly, panicked sapphire eyes snapped open as the prince's body jerked upward, almost slamming his forehead into Ike's own.

Releasing the other, the darker bluenette scooted back some as he let the younger male adjust to his surroundings.

Large, watery azure eyes looked around before they landed on wary cobalt ones,

"I-Ike...?"

He definitely was not expecting the mercenary to be the first thing he'd see after his nightmare.

Breathing heavily, the royal blue-haired soldier nodded his head slowly before moving himself closer to the distressed royal once more,

"Yeah...are you...okay? That looked to be one hell of a nightmare, man."

Marth's terrified eyes suddenly turned hard before he crossed his arms and faced away from the commander,

"I. Am. Fine. Go back to sleep, Ike."

Said male frowned at that,

"No. Plus, I was already awake."

Sapphire eyes turned to him questioningly,

"What?"

Ike sighed before leaning back and allowing himself to rest back against the palm of his hands,

"I couldn't sleep after dinner...," he started as he gave the prince a quick side-glance before looking down shamefully,

"Marth, about earlier—."

"I don't want to talk about it."

The taller male rolled his eyes in annoyance before really getting a good look at Marth,

"We need to."

"I said no."

"Marth..."

"N-No!"

Hiccuping harshly, the teal-haired royal shoved Ike away from him, but his shoulder throbbed painfully in protest, causing Marth to hiss loudly as tears pricked at his eyes.

He couldn't deal with this right now.

His dumb nightmare came back, as expected.

The last person he'd want to discuss anything with was right in front of him.

And his shoulder hurt.

_So much._

Ike held up his hands in surrender, before his cobalt eyes shined worriedly into those sapphire ones, which were squeezed tight at the moment.

Then, he got an idea.

"Come with me."

Without permission, the mercenary grabbed onto the upset bluenette's uninjured arm before pulling him up and dragging him outside the cave, where he found a small patch of grass for them to sit on.

"W-What are we doing out here?" The prince asked stiffly as he perched himself delicately in front of the older warrior.

"We are going to talk."

Marth growled before he made a move to stand.

But, Ike still had a strong grip on his arm.

"I-Ike, stop it! J-Just...leave me alone!"

The younger bluenette whimpered out, sapphire eyes watering over once more.

However, the older swordsman refused to give in,

"No. Something is wrong with you and neither of us are going anywhere until our whole matter with each other is resolved."

The shorter male whined in defeat before he sat back down, sapphire eyes staring into the ground angrily,

_'It's the middle of the damn night! This is absolutely, astoundingly ridiculous—!'_

The royal's thoughts of mounting frustration were cut off when he suddenly felt himself losing his composure as Ike began to gently rub his thumb across his arm.

"Marth. Please, look at me."

Said boy bit his lip before shaking his head.

Suddenly, the prince felt a larger hand gently caress his chin before lifting it up.

Watery sapphire eyes locked onto perturbed cobalt ones.

"What's going on?" Ike asked softly.

Marth squeezed his eyes shut.

He can't cry if there was no way for his tears to escape.

Well, that was his logic anyway.

He also couldn't look at the commander.

And that incredibly handsome, concerned face of his.

_'Dammit. Stop. You are not attracted to a mercenary. He doesn't care about you. So, quit while you're ahead, Marth.'_

The voice in his head was starting to get meaner and the young royal didn't know how much longer he could endure it.

"You wouldn't understand," he whispered out.

"Try me."

Allowing his eyes to open momentarily, Marth was shocked to see the full blown look of understanding and comfort glimmering brightly in those cobalt orbs.

And was that...?

_'No...no...it must be the moon. Yeah, the moon is just really bright tonight. Ike doesn't...no...that's ridiculous—.'_

"Hello? Princess?"

Shaken from his thoughts, Marth came back to the present moment at hand before frowning at the nickname.

He jerked his head out from Ike's tender hold before crossing his arms in indignation.

Though, a part of him suddenly missed the physical contact.

It was rather comforting to the prince.

"I'm not a princess," he grumbled out before attempting to glare at the mercenary.

But, he couldn't find the power to hold it when the other male looked at him like that.

All the seams holding Marth together wanted to burst at that simple sight.

Ike chuckled quietly as he pulled the other's arms away from his chest before continuing the same comforting motion as before.

Marth really needed to loosen up if this was going to work.

"Come on. Talk to me."

The lighter bluenette bit his lip as he chose to stare down into the grass beneath him,

"I-I can't. Like I told Meta Knight, this is too hard to discuss and it will be entirely useless. Whether you'd understand or not."

"I don't believe that."

Marth blinked up at him,

"Excuse me?"

Ike gave him an unamused look,

"Whatever is bothering you is not useless or unimportant, Marth. It's actually pretty freaking significant given your horrible fighting performance these past few weeks."

He then noticed those sapphire eyes turn guilty before letting out a quiet sigh,

"I'm sorry...I'm just—,"

"Hot-headed?"

The mercenary grinned at the other's sudden banter, noticing Marth was trying to bite back a smile,

"Ha-ha, Princess."

Sapphire eyes glinted with a small hint of amusement.

In all honesty, the young royal couldn't help but melt a little inside when the darker bluenette smiled at him like that.

Ike let it linger for a while longer, seeing the shine of fondness in the other's eyes, before he became serious once more,

"Why don't we start with your nightmare. You get those often?"

His own smile fading, Marth whimpered before trying to pull away from Ike's soothing hold once more.

Now, the mercenary knew he hit something sensitive.

"It's alright. Just talk about it. Rip the bandage off.”

Halting in his motions, the lighter bluenette looked down at his shoulder,

"Why? What does that have to do with anything?"

Ike facepalmed.

He forgot how literal Marth was.

"It's just a saying, dimwit."

The shorter swordsman flushed in embarrassment,

"Oh."

The older male sighed, he was doing his best to keep his agitation under control.

He cared deeply for the young royal.

But, man did the boy get on his nerves.

"What I mean is, whatever scary thoughts are floating around in that head of yours, let them out. I promise, it's okay."

Marth bit his lip.

He could do that, right?

So what if Ike's a mercenary?

As long as his inner pain will go away after he talks.

Because that's what supposed to happen, right?

Hesitantly, the prince opened his mouth to speak.

But, all that came out was a choked sob.

He covered his mouth quickly as his eyes suddenly rimmed with tears.

Neither male was expecting that reaction.

Marth squeezed his eyes shut as his own voice chanted desperately in his head,

_'Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't—.’_

He hiccuped loudly into his hands.

Then, the teal-haired swordsman suddenly felt a gentle hand tug away the ones over his mouth.

"Hey," Ike spoke gently, a sound Marth was entirely unfamiliar with.

He whimpered softly as he let the commander hold his hands securely.

"Go on. I'm right here."

Marth bit his lip.

Instead of jerking away again, he returned Ike's hold on his hands with a tight grip of his own.

He couldn't understand why the man in front of him—

The constantly annoying, messy, disgusting, obnoxious companion he's never-ending quarreling with—

Was the most comforting presence in the world right now.

"Open your eyes."

Obliging, watery sapphire orbs squinted open as they peered up into Ike's own.

Suddenly, without warning, Marth's entire resolve crumbled.

He just couldn't handle it anymore.

Hiding in all the pain from the two-year war he previously endured.

Constantly fearing his nightmares of his sister every night.

 _Constantly worrying_ for his sister who was most likely alive and well as she sat safely back home in Altea.

Goodness.

He was homesick beyond belief.

And, Ike was beginning to realize that as the boy wailed all of that out right in front of him.

Arms trembling like mad, Marth choked on his own coughing and sniveling as he continued rambling out everything all in one go.

At a loss for words, the mercenary tried hushing him quietly before saying 'fuck it all,' and pulling the distraught prince into his arms.

Caught off guard, the young royal tumbled into Ike's lap before he grasped onto the other's shirt tightly, mewling into his shoulder loudly.

Ike tucked the younger's head into his neck, holding a gentle hand to his teal hair while lining up his other against the quivering swordsman's back,

"Alright...alright...," he consoled quietly, cobalt eyes showing nothing but concern as the mercenary held the other tighter,

"Shit, Princess...why didn't you say anything sooner?"

Marth shook his head harshly,

"I-I...thought I c-could handle...i-it," the shorter male hiccuped harshly.

The commander glared his eyes forward in disapproval as he heard the hysterical royal continue,

"I'm a...p-prince. I c-can't...let m-my emotions show...F-Father used to...a-always yell at me and _hit_ me for it...s-saying I was weak a-and _pathetic..."_

Marth spit out that last word venomously before falling into another round of sobbing.

And suddenly, realization smacked Ike in the chest.

Hard.

_'I've seen staff wielders fight better than you! It's pathetic!'_

He shut his eyes tightly at the harsh words he had lashed out at the prince earlier that afternoon.

He was an idiot.

He let his short temper get the best of him, and now he was paying the price.

Complete and utter guilt.

He rested his cheek atop the teal head shattering beneath it,

"I'm so sorry, Marth...if I had known..."

Before he could continue, said boy pulled himself away for a moment before looking up into his companion's remorseful face.

He sniffled quietly before a blush suddenly coated his cheeks as the darker bluenette reached a hand up to wipe away Marth's tears.

Ike could care less at what he just did, for every defense he had against his feelings towards the other broke down the moment the crying boy fell into his arms.

As he continued his gentle ministrations, the flustered royal continued,

"I-It is quite alright Ike...B-But, I am too at fault for my actions...I-I should not have l-let my guard down...especially when i-it risked danger upon you and M-Meta Knight..."

The prince swiped at his nose with the back of his hand, forgetting his manners for the moment.

Ike chuckled at that before he grabbed the hem of his tunic and reached it upward to help the prince out.

As the other willingly cleaned his nose, Marth's cheeks darkened even more.

He didn't even protest, too shocked at such a forward action.

And, it reminded him so much of his older sister.

Her kind and compassionate nature.

An uncharacteristic trait that was now being shown through the mercenary.

Who wiped away his tears with nothing but tenderness.

Sitting through all of the prince's horrendous weeping, but not one word of disgust or protest came from him.

It was quite shocking considering how the two have been at two separate ends of a spectrum ever since they met.

But, now...

Here they were.

And, that brought tears to the younger swordsman's eyes once more.

He was grateful for the mercenary.

 _'Never thought I'd hear myself think that,'_ the prince thought quietly to himself.

Watching the other silently, Ike delicately tucked some excess teal strands behind the royal's ear.

"You okay?" He whispered softly to the other.

Sniffling quietly, the shorter fighter hesitated before giving a small nod.

Ike sighed before he let his hand drop from the other's hair.

Before he opened both of his arms out to the prince.

He knew the other was far from fine, but he didn't comment on it.

Just acted in the best way he knew how,

"Come here."

With that, sapphire eyes shined brightly in the moonlight, tears glistening from them as Marth flung himself at the taller swordsman.

Ike held him tightly as he let the Altean native bury himself into his chest once more.

Cobalt eyes shimmered with compassion as they looked downward,

"Just so you know...what your Father said about you...and...for what I said about you...it's completely far from the truth. Nothing about you is pathetic or weak, I assure you...I mean, hell, you fought off the rest of those damn monsters with a ripped up shoulder."

Marth simply hugged the other tighter in response, but Ike could feel the small smile pressing against his shoulder.

The commander nudged softly at the other's teal head so he could make eye contact with those sweet, sapphire eyes once more.

The lighter blue-haired warrior peered up at him in response.

"And, you are not alone in missing the ones you love and care for back home...along with the men and women I fight alongside with, I also have a younger sister that I would do _anything_ for...and, I worry for her safety every damn day...But, I know my mercenaries are doing well in keeping her and our home safe...and that's comfort enough," Ike spoke quietly.

Rubbing at his eyes, Marth looked up to the older swordsman in awe,

"Really?"

Ike smiled softly.

"Of course...And, I am sure your big sister is doing just fine, as well. Your defenses are definitely way better than mine, being a prince and all. You royals do have a tendency to be fancy with _everything,_ including your front lines," he assured the other kindly with a soft smirk.

Marth giggled quietly before his damaged shoulder gave a sudden, painful throb in protest at his positioning.

He let out a loud gasp before he pulled himself away from Ike once more.

To his utter horror, blood had started to seep through his terrible bandage job, as well as through his tunic.

Cobalt eyes too shifted downward before Ike's brows bent in concern.

Carefully, he rolled up Marth's shirt sleeve to reveal a poorly wrapped up medical bandage that was messily covered in blood due to the gash not being covered all the way or treated properly.

"Marth...did you wrap this yourself? Without any help?"

Said boy gulped nervously, afraid the other would yell at him if he knew the truth.

Clearly trying to be Mr. Independent was much harder than the prince thought.

"I...u-um...," the teal-haired soldier stuttered out.

The mercenary glanced over to see sapphire eyes filled with guilt-ridden embarrassment.

"Well...I'm going to take that as a yes," he sighed quietly, but there was no vexation in his voice.

If anything, there was a whole lot of concern.

Standing up, Ike helped Marth to his feet before pulling the other along back towards the cave,

"Here, take a seat. I'm going to fix _that."_

Marth nodded before obeying and taking a seat on the same ledge the older swordsman had been occupying earlier that same evening.

Meanwhile, the commander sifted through their pack of provisions until he pulled out healer cream along with their sterile, soft white medical bandages and their more sturdier counterpart, as well as grabbing a clean towel and a water canteen.

Items in hand, the taller bluenette walked back over to the awaiting swordsman,

"Alright, take off your shirt."

Cheeks glowing pink, sapphire eyes glared at him in disbelief,

"I beg your pardon? I will do no such—,"

"You want that shoulder fixed or not?"

Being rudely interrupted by the other, Marth's mouth gaped open like a fish before he shut it closed with a pout.

But, suddenly he realized something.

He had applied his makeshift bandage while keeping his shirt on earlier.

"Come on, Princess. I'm waiting."

The lighter bluenette bit his lip, looking everywhere but at Ike,

"I-I...uh...can't."

Cobalt eyes looked quizzical as they tried fixating on those bashful sapphire orbs,

"What do you mean you can't? I know you're perfect and modest and all—.”

"No. I mean...I-I...physically can't...uh...take it off...It...hurts too much," Marth stuttered out in full blown embarrassment, his face as red as a tomato.

Realization covered Ike's face before he smiled kindly,

"Alright, well baby steps then. I'll help you take it off."

Steely sapphire eyes flashed in the mercenary's direction just as the darker bluenette was about to reach for the hem of Marth's periwinkle tunic.

But, before he could open his mouth in protest, the commander beat him to it,

"We need a good look at the entire wound, Marth. So, swallow down that modest pride of yours and let me take care of you."

Marth's face flushed as he blinked at what the other male just said.

And, Ike didn't even realize it.

_'H-He...he cares about me?_

_Yes, dimwit. He's been taking care of you all night.'_

Oh, God. Now the voice in his head was beginning to sound like Ike.

Not like that was such a bad thing, though.

Brushing those intimate thoughts from his mind, sapphire eyes peered down as the older swordsman began lifting his shirt carefully.

A shiver ran down Marth's spine as he felt the other's bare hands brush along the skin underneath his shirt.

From the chilly night or from pleasure, the younger bluenette did not know.

"Alright...take your right arm out of its sleeve for me."

Interrupted once more from his racing thoughts, the prince obliged before looking to Ike for further instruction.

The commander bit his lip in thought as he pulled the shirt collar over Marth's head.

Now, all they had left was his damaged shoulder.

And, the darker bluenette could see that the dried blood from the wound had stuck itself to the royal's shirt.

This was going to be a bitch.

Cobalt eyes glanced behind the other to see Meta Knight was still sound asleep before they focused back on the task at hand,

"Alright...this is going to hurt."

Carefully, Ike began to gently peel off the shirt, clearly seeing he was correct about the wound sticking itself to the cotton material.

Marth sucked in a sharp breath before biting down on his lip hard.

The mercenary glanced at him worriedly before he continued.

He got about halfway until the shorter bluenette let out a quiet whimper, his sapphire eyes stinging with unshed tears at the amount of pain this was causing him.

To Ike's surprise, he had been doing quite well so far.

"Easy...I'm almost done. You're doing great. Just, push through it a little longer," the older male encouraged softly before he started pulling once more.

Marth gasped loudly before the hand connected to his good arm suddenly lashed out and gripped onto Ike's pant leg tightly.

The taller bluenette hushed him gently before he finally pulled the remainder of the shirt off the nasty wound and down the other's arm before throwing it off to the side.

The younger swordsman let out a yelp of pain, a tear trailing down his cheek at that final tug at his opened wound.

A larger hand swiped it away before Ike began removing the bloody, loose bandages.

Which was a much easier task than what he had just endured.

Marth watched the mercenary silently as the other warrior reached down to grab a clean, soft cloth before he poured water onto it.

Delicately, Ike started to clean up the excess blood around the entirety of the wound, which was fairly large than what he was able to tell earlier.

He then gently began to dab inside of it, trying to remove any bits of dirt that he could find as quickly as possible knowing the trembling beside him was Marth's compensation for fighting through the pain.

The commander smirked softly to himself,

_'For being incredibly emotional, the little guy can really hold up a strong front.'_

Once he believe the wound was as clean as it could get, the darker bluenette then scooped up a generous amount of healing cream into his hand before looking into those hesitant sapphire eyes.

The young royal eyed the pale yellow substance warily, nibbling his lip in worry before he looked up into Ike's questioning cobalt ones, which were silently asking for permission to go ahead and apply the medicine cream.

He knew it was going to sting.

He just didn't know how badly.

Slowly, the prince gave the other a nod of confirmation before the grip he still had on the mercenary's pant leg became extremely tight.

Carefully, the commander began to rub the slick matter into the raw gash on the shorter swordsman's shoulder.

Quiet whimpers of pain escaped Marth as Ike tried his best to be as gentle as possible.

He was almost done when the other suddenly let out a high pitched mewl where the darker bluenette had to clamp his free hand roughly over the prince's mouth.

A few silent tears of agony escaped the young royal as he looked at Ike apologetically.

"It's okay...I should have been more careful," the mercenary whispered in understanding before glancing over to make sure their spherical comrade was still sound asleep.

Releasing his hand from the other's mouth, the older male gently rubbed soothing circles atop Marth's chest to calm him down.

Deciding he applied enough of the medicine onto the wound, Ike simply wiped his used hand against his pants before picking up the soft bandages first and wrapping a few layers over the other's entire shoulder, along his bicep, just before his elbow, and across his upper chest and back.

He followed through once more with the more sturdier bandage layer.

Sighing in satisfaction, the mercenary collected everything before he threw what wasn't used back inside the pack before closing it up quietly.

Making his way back over to the younger swordsman, Ike noticed him looking at his spoiled shirt in disgust as he tried covering his arms over his chest.

The Crimean couldn't understand why the Altean native was so diffident about his upper body being exposed.

Marth was absolutely stunning to the royal blue-haired fighter as the other's lightly tanned skin glistened brightly in the moonlight.

Huffing lightly in amusement, the older soldier abruptly removed his own tunic before handing it out to the modest royal.

Sapphire eyes glanced up to suddenly become face to abdomen with the commander as said male held his dark blue shirt in front of the teal-haired soldier.

The younger male blushed furiously all the way down to his chest as he forced himself to make eye contact with the smirking swordsman peering down at him.

"Here, let's put this on so we can head to bed. It's really late and Meta Knight is gonna freak if he finds out the two of us lost sleep tonight."

Biting his lip, Marth looked to the side worriedly for a quick moment before grasping the other's shirt.

He didn't have plans to go back to sleep.

He usually never did after having his nightmares.

Now...how was he supposed to hide that from Ike?

Lost in thought, the lighter bluenette didn't even realize he was basically just sitting their obediently while the mercenary did most of the work in putting the much larger tunic over him before carefully slipping the royal's injured arm through the left sleeve.

And, that he was humming quietly.

Suddenly, the prince found himself struggling to keep his tired eyes open at the soft tune as a wide yawn escaped past his lips.

It was a real fight for him constantly waking up every night and staying awake until the morning when his body let him.

Marth was worn out.

But, his nightmares wouldn't leave him alone.

Without noticing, he let out a quiet whine at his inner turmoil as he angrily scrubbed at his eyes.

Ike glanced down at the other with a frown,

"Marth? Everything alright? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Blinking out of his thoughts, the shorter bluenette looked up sheepishly before scratching the back of his head with his good hand,

"Oh! U-Uh...no, I-I'm okay...I must have zoned out for a moment...that's all. M-My apologies."

The commander quirked a brow before squatting down in front of his younger companion,

"You sure?"

Sapphire eyes stared longingly into those kind, generous cobalt orbs.

But...he couldn't tell Ike that he was...quite afraid to fall back to sleep.

That's a silly fear to have, right?

Suddenly, large hands tugged on the royal's smaller ones as Ike pulled Marth to sit himself down in the soft grass, now using the ledge as a back rest.

Since they were right up alongside the mountain range, they were finally hitting ground that was no longer covered in dirt and sand.

The taller swordsman then crawled over to the prince's uninjured side before raising his hands above his head as he laid back next to him.

As an older brother, he could easily tell the younger boy beside him seemed anxious at the prospect of sleep, since Mist used to give the darker bluenette that same fearful look when she would wake up from a bad dream during the night.

Plus, those beautiful sapphire eyes were pretty much a wide open book.

The mercenary sighed deeply before he glanced over to find Marth fiddling with the hem of his tunic as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

Then, he looked up to find a clear sky above them,

"The stars are quite bright this evening."

The soft comment startled the teal-haired swordsman out of his thoughts before he followed his comrade’s line of sight,

"Why y-yes...they are quite beautiful."

Smiling softly, cobalt orbs continued to examine the sky above,

 _'Just like you,'_  Ike silently wanted to add, but he kept his mouth shut as he casually brought his left arm to rest against the stone ledge, where it hovered just above Marth's shoulders.

The younger male didn't seem to notice as he continued to admire the stars.

But, his hands were still nervously preoccupied with his shirt.

The mercenary took notice.

So, he nonchalantly reached over and gently intertwined their hands.

Marth gasped quietly as he looked down, his cheeks burning crimson at the romantic gesture.

And, when he looked up, he noticed Ike's face was also a similar shade of red as the mercenary continued to look up at the constellations. 

Then, Marth suddenly realized the other’s arm not connecting to the hand intertwined with his own was comfortably sitting quite close to his shoulders.

Without thinking, the prince let himself lean into the commander's side, really enjoying the other's comforting presence.

Something he really needed ever since the nightmares first started.

When the lighter bluenette snuggled into his side, Ike smiled softly before giving himself permission to wrap his other arm around Marth's waist, pulling him in more while he let the prince continue to hold tightly to his other hand.

His plan to calm the other down seemed to be working.

And, it was quite exhilarating to be this intimate with the royal.

"Thank you."

Cobalt eyes peered down into passionate sapphire orbs, Marth's soft spoken gratitude lingering in the air for a moment.

Ike smiled gently before he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to those messy teal bangs,

"Of course. Now, get some shut eye, Princess. I won't go anywhere in the night.

I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! 
> 
> My apologies for such a crazy long chapter, but like I mentioned in the notes above, I really hope it was worth it for my wonderful readers! 
> 
> This story is quite crazy to me but it is lovable and I am truly having a fun time writing it. 
> 
> Thank you once more for all of your amazing support! 
> 
> See ya next chapter! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	6. Chapter 6

Bleary, golden eyes slowly peered open, squinting slightly at the bright sunlight shining into the cave.

They then tiredly shifted to the left, expecting to find two other sleeping bodies laying on the ground.

However, the round knight found himself alone.

Sitting up immediately, the Popstar resident threw on his mask before grabbing Galaxia, too much in a rush to throw on the rest of his armor.

 _'Where could they be?'_ Meta Knight thought to himself worriedly.

Both bluenettes' capes remained scattered on the sandy floor, along with their abandoned armor.

Eyes flashed green in serious thought and concern as they tracked over to find two sets of footprints imprinted into the dusty ground.

Which led over to a bloody tunic.

Gasping quietly to himself, the spherical warrior rushed over to examine it further, lifting it up carefully.

It only took him a moment to realize it was Marth's.

Golden eyes filled with worry, a hint of panic shining through them.

Scanning throughout the cave one last time, the knight made his exit.

Before stopping in his tracks.

Meta Knight swore to himself before letting out a breath of relief,

_'These two are going to be the death of me one day, I guarantee it.'_

Because there the two blue-haired swordsmen were.

Sleeping peacefully right outside the cave.

But, what shocked the round soldier the most was their positioning.

Golden eyes glancing over to the youngest, Meta Knight was happy to know he was unharmed, the opposite to what his tattered and bloody shirt had originally made the navy puffball assume.

However, it had been replaced by a larger, darker shirt the prince was now adorned in as he rested the majority of his upper body atop Ike's bare chest.

Which also explained why the mercenary was shirtless.

The older soldier had his spiked blue head resting atop Marth's own as he held the other securely around the waist, even whilst in sleep.

And, the two had their hands loosely intertwined.

Although trying to figure out what in the world could have happened last night, Meta Knight also found the scene in front of him to be quite...sweet.

Smiling softly, the spherical soldier loosened his tight hold on Galaxia as he quietly made his way back into the cave, not wanting to disturb the two dozing swordsmen.

* * *

It was another hour later when large, sapphire eyes rubbed themselves open with a wide yawn.

Scrunching up his nose at the brightness of the sun, Marth whined quietly before shoving his face back into the neck he was currently using as a pillow.

The prince sighed softly, shutting his eyes slowly as he became comfortable once more on the warm surface he was curled up against.

It's familiar scent and steady breathing creating a calmness in the early morning atmosphere.

_'Wait...breathing?!'_

The royal's eyes snapped open before he pulled himself up immediately as he stared down to what he had been sleeping atop of.

His face colored three different shades of red as he quietly stared down at Ike's sleeping form below him.

The commander mumbled quietly in his sleep before tucking his body closer to Marth's own and wrapping both his arms around him, tightening his hold against the other's waist.

Cheeks blushing even darker, the teal-haired soldier bit his lip as he tried releasing himself from the older bluenette's strong hold.

"Ike," he whispered quietly, trying to rouse the other male.

It did nothing.

Although the other's closeness during the night had made him feel incredibly safe, without Marth surprisingly experiencing another nightmare, the struggling prince still had pressing matters he suddenly realized he needed to attend to.

And, the mercenary's unrelenting hold wasn't helping.

The younger boy whimpered softly, finding his attempts of escape to be futile.

 _"Ike!"_ He whispered out more urgently this time, wriggling frantically in the other's muscular arms.

In response, the taller swordsman simply grumbled agitatedly before he pulled Marth against his chest, still fast asleep.

"Eek! Ike, lemme go!" Marth cried out in alarm.

Hearing the sudden commotion, Meta Knight stopped what he was doing inside the cave to hurry over.

What he found was quiet an amusing sight, his eyes glinting pink for a small moment before he walked over to the struggling prince,

"Is everything alright, Your Highness?"

Sapphire eyes widened as Marth stopped in his movements before turning his attention to the navy puffball, face flushing in embarrassment that the spherical warrior had found him in such a predicament,

"N-No! He won't budge!"

Chuckling to himself, the knight walked over to Ike's side before casually flicking the mercenary hard against his head.

"No no no no don't do that—!" Marth exclaimed.

But, it was too late.

The commander's brows furrowed in pain before his cobalt orbs suddenly opened in utter confusion as they looked up into worried sapphire eyes,

"Mm...Marth? What—?"

"Ike, Prince Marth would like to be set free."

The taller swordsman looked over at their round comrade in bewilderment before he realized he had both his arms locked around the slim waist of his younger companion.

His cheeks matched the reddened color of Marth's own,

"Oh."

Finally releasing his hold on the other, Ike and Meta Knight watched as the young royal let out a loud squeak before jumping out of the mercenary's arms and sprinting behind a pair of bushes off to the side.

Both soldiers chuckled quietly once they realized what had been the matter.

"Well, I guess someone had a little too much to drink before bed last night," Meta Knight commented quietly in amusement.

"Yeah, no kidding...why didn't he just wake me up?" Ike reciprocated before yawning tiredly.

"He tried to. But, apparently you're a much heavier sleeper than he initially thought," the knight answered back, smirking behind his mask as Ike sheepishly scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

Then, the knight became seriousness,

"What happened last night?"

Understanding what the Popstar resident was referring to, the Crimean native cleared his throat before glancing behind him, making sure the shorter bluenette didn't overhear.

"He had a bad dream," he answered softly before rubbing at his eyes.

Meta Knight nodded. He expected as such, but he still couldn't figure out how the two ended up sleeping together so...intimately.

The darker bluenette smirked softly, silently understanding the knight's silence,

"I made him talk...and...it was rough, Meta Knight."

Golden eyes looked up to find sorrow filling the mercenary's face before the younger male continued,

"He's homesick like crazy...I mean, it took me a while to calm him down and get him to fall back to sleep..."

Cobalt eyes suddenly pricked with unshed tears as Ike bit his lip softly,

"It hurt seeing him like that...I could practically _feel_ the pain he was going through."

The spherical warrior nodded silently as he rested a reassuring gloved hand against Ike's arm.

He was about to reply when both allies suddenly heard rustling coming from behind them.

They turned to see a still bashful Marth quietly making his way back over.

As if the emotional conversation between him and the knight never happened, Ike reverted back to his cocky self before smirking up at the shy royal,

"Feel better, Princess?"

The lighter bluenette huffed, cheeks glowing pink as he crossed his arms over his chest without a reply.

The mercenary laughed quietly before he let his eyes wonder fondly over the younger male's body,

"My tunic suits you well."

Looking down, Marth almost forgot the older soldier had lent it to him.

"Oh! Speaking of, Your Highness, I had cleaned your own and it is drying inside the cave as we speak," their round companion commented before someone's stomach growled loudly,

"And, breakfast will be done shortly."

Hands flying down to cover his stomach, Marth blushed furiously at the noise it just made, knowing he had skipped dinner the night before.

Meta Knight chuckled quietly at the younger boy's antics before making his way back inside the cave to finish cooking the bird and eggs he caught fresh this morning while the other two were still asleep.

Galaxia, unfortunately, was currently being used as a makeshift frying pan for the latter since the steel was a good heat source that was able to withstand the flames of the crackling fire beneath it.

Laughing quietly to himself, cobalt eyes shined back up to the flustered royal.

"Hey," he called to the other gently.

Marth peered down at him in question.

Ike looked over him in concern before reaching his hands out and grasping the prince's own, pulling the other down and situating him onto his lap.

The royal blushed darkly, but didn't protest as the commander held him close.

"How's that shoulder of yours? I'm gonna have to look at it after breakfast...hopefully the cream worked well overnight," the darker bluenette spoke softly as he combed his fingers gently through the other's teal locks.

Marth nodded in understanding before his azure eyes made contact with Ike's own,

"It feels alright...much better than yesterday...," the shorter male replied quietly, softly biting at his lip as he looked down before glancing back up at the mercenary shyly,

"Thanks again for last night." 

The commander waved his hand nonchalantly, indicting that no such praise was in order,

"Eh, don't worry about it. As long as you're feeling better, that's all that matters."

And with that, the older male quickly leaned forward and kissed the other sweetly on the cheek before motioning for the prince to get up from his lap.

Cheeks burning crimson, Marth was left speechless as a smirking Ike leaned down to help him off the ground,

"Now, to breakfast."

* * *

Three pairs of boots trudged slowly over the rigid, uneven ground as they weaved their way through remnants of underbrush along the mountain side.

Which was more similar to a canyon than anything.

Although hoping for more grassland, tree cover, and the like in the new territory, the three swordsmen instead found themselves still mostly surrounded by more auburn colored sand.

There was just a touch more of grass and wildlife scurrying about than the ground below.

Surprisingly, however, every now and again they would walk past villagers pulling carts on horseback as they traveled in the opposite direction.

Which, to Ike's excitement could only mean one thing:

There was another town somewhere up here with more food.

He was almost correct.

Slowly coming to a stop, two pairs of azure eyes along with a pair of gold glanced up to find themselves at what appeared to be an entrance to a small neighborhood beyond.

Houses were all at a slant, due to living on the uneven ground of a canyon-mountain side, and were all spread apart.

A narrowly cracked, makeshift road could be seen as the only possible connection between all of them.

"Dammit, I wanted more food."

Marth and Meta Knight rolled their eyes as they watched the mercenary stomp his foot in disappointment, but the latter was aware that they really couldn't last much longer on aging potatoes and molding bread.

"Come along, I'm sure there's a storefront or something we could find. These people must get their food source from some place," the Popstar warrior spoke kindly as the two swordsmen followed alongside him into the quiet community.

If they were being honest with themselves, this area did seem to be quite eerie.

Unconsciously, all three companions huddled closer together at the discomfort of how ghostly the town seemed to get as they got deeper and deeper in.

"I-I don't understand...there were people not too long ago exiting from here, no?" Marth questioned his comrades worriedly.

"Maybe they were actually running away from here—ow!"

A pouting Ike turned to the glaring prince who had slapped him in the arm for thinking something like that.

Meta Knight chuckled at the two,

"Quit scaring him, Ike."

Flabbergasted, Marth's cheeks tinted pink as he looked down at their round companion,

"Hey! I am _not_ scared! I...I just don't like thinking that we came all this way into a place where people are _escaping from!_ That—!"

"Scaredy Cat."

Sapphire eyes glanced back up to mischievous cobalt orbs before the prince gaped his mouth open,

"Am not!"

"Are to."

"Am not!"

"Are to—."

"Now is not the time for this you two. We are here to collect more provisions and that is—."

Suddenly, the bantering bluenettes watched as their shortest companion was shot forward before he landed roughly into the gravel dirt.

"Meta Knight!" They exclaimed in unison before they suddenly heard heavy footsteps behind them.

Ike and Marth looked at each other worriedly before together they slowly turned their heads, looking up to find themselves face to face with a giant, rusting stone statue in the form of a...boy?

"What the...?" The mercenary spoke quietly as he stared up at their apparent new enemy in complete shock.

"S-So people really were running from this place...," Marth commented quietly before him and the other bluenette slowly started backing up.

Then, the uncanny statue swung its long, striped arm hard towards the prince, the sling shot in its grip slamming into the royal and causing the younger swordsman to cry out in shock and pain as he landed roughly on the ground, his bad shoulder taking the blow.

"MARTH!" Ike screamed before turning angrily towards the statue.

He charged it, slashing Ragnell at various different angles on the stone enemy's boots and stomach.

But, nothing worked. No amount of damage whatsoever was even being done.

"I...I don't understand," the commander panted out harshly.

Cobalt eyes glanced up in time to find a large, stone book smashing into his side before finding himself flying in the air and crashing into an abandoned cart full of freshly plucked potatoes.

Oh, the irony.

Rubbing his throbbing head, the Crimean native groaned quietly before squinting his eyes forward.

He watched as Meta Knight flew towards their large opponent, slicing Galaxia rapidly in the enemy's face.

But, to no avail, it caused no hesitance in the giant statue and the mercenary could only watch as his round companion flew backward once more from the large enemy's attack.

Movement across from him caught the bluenette's eye once more.

He turned and saw the prince struggling to get up, watching as the younger boy winced at the pain blossoming across his chest and injured shoulder.

Then, Marth charged at the giant stone child.

Ike grit his teeth as he pulled himself up, pushing away the multiple potatoes surrounding him.

His golden sword had escaped his grip during the impact and had fallen a few yards away from the food cart.

Half limping and half running towards his weapon, the commander grasped it tightly before making his way over to fight off the unbeatable enemy once more.

Ragnell and Falchion flashed together as they came down hard on the giant, who was doing nothing now but pushing itself along and walking straight ahead.

Both azure pairs of eyes looked up in shock when still no damage was being done.

"Alright, that's it," Ike growled before sprinting as best he could over to Marth, grasping the prince's hand as he pulled the two of them over to Meta Knight, where the mercenary simply picked up their round companion and began making a run for it.

There was no use in attempting to fight when none of their weaponry had an advantage.

It would only cause more injuries and possible death.

Something the young commander didn't take lightly.

So, he ushered all three of them into what appeared to be an abandoned house, it's wooden floors creaking beneath their feet as they quietly hid themselves within.

All three panted heavily while they peered through a broken window, watching as the statue continued to march forward, passing their hideout as it simply followed along the winding, jagged road.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ike wiped the sweat running from his forehead.

"Oh...my...goodness...what was that?!" Marth exclaimed, still trying to catch his breath.

"I do not know...but whatever it was, let's hope to never encounter it again," Meta Knight spoke quietly as he checked over the other two swordsmen, making sure no one faired any injuries.

Cobalt followed yellow as they watched the young royal wince badly when he tried moving his previously wounded shoulder.

"You're hurt, aren't you?" The knight questioned their youngest member quietly.

Sapphire eyes looked into worried golden orbs,

"N-No...I-I'm fine. My shoulder is just sore, that's—,"

"Marth."

Said boy glanced over at a stern looking Ike.

The lighter bluenette gulped.

That face was new.

"W-Well...you were limping! So, you're hurt too!" Marth tried to counter before gasping quietly as his shoulder throbbed once more, causing the younger male to fall down on one knee.

The mercenary rolled his eyes in annoyance,

"My ankle is _fine—."_

"Your ankle?" Meta Knight interrupted, concern unhidden in his voice.

Before the older bluenette could protest, the spherical warrior was reaching for the foot he was now obviously seen favoring.

"Ah ah, don't," the commander grunted, trying but failing to mask the pain flaring in his right extremity.

"Sit down. Now. Both of you. Your Highness, please remove your shirt."

There was no room for argument in the knight's voice as both of the younger swordsmen obliged quietly.

Gently, Meta Knight eased Ike's right boot off his injured ankle, with said fighter hissing quietly as he did so.

Golden-yellow eyes scanned over it worriedly.

There was colored bruising around the extremity, but thankfully it did not appear to be broken.

Most likely a very bad sprain.

Reaching for their bag of provisions, the navy puffball dug inside to pull out the necessary bandages and ointments he was going to need to care for the two wounded swordsmen.

Within a few minutes time, the round soldier had Ike's right ankle coated in bruise cream and bandaged securely.

He then turned to the younger male, a frown forming under his mask,

"Prince Marth, I specifically asked you to remove your tunic. Why have you—?"

"He can't," Ike butted in before scooting closer to the prince,

"He needed help last night, too, to take it off."

Marth blushed furiously as the other two began working together to remove his shirt, which unfortunately was once again coated in his own blood from his horrible injury.

Once the shirt had been removed, Meta Knight was about to move on and flush out the wound when he suddenly stopped in his motions, noticing something was glistening out from the deep abrasion,

"Oh no."

Sapphire eyes darted behind him, hearing the sudden change in the knight's calm voice,

"What's wrong?"

Choosing to not answer the younger for his own good, golden eyes glanced up to the equally confused mercenary, determination set within them,

"Ike, I need you to hold him down."

The Crimean was about to question the other's strange request when he too noticed the not so subtle piece of glass sticking out from the royal's bloodied shoulder,

"Holy shit."

"W-Wait, what's going on?! Guys—!" Marth exclaimed in panic before Ike silenced him by pulling the confused prince into his chest and locking his arms tight around the other's lower back.

Before the Altean native could get another word out, Meta Knight allowed his wings to lift himself a foot in the air before clamping onto the teal-haired swordsman's good shoulder and quickly and efficiently sliding out the piece of glass stuck within his injured one.

A large hand shoved itself over the lighter bluenette's mouth as Marth suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream at the agonizing pain that just shot through him.

His watery sapphire eyes spilled over with tears as he silently glared at his two comrades,

_'That hurt!'_

Deeming it safe to remove his hand from the other's trembling lips, Ike gently rubbed a hand up and down the heaving royal's arm.

Marth was furious.

"What the _hell_ you guys?!" He yelled out, wiping at the tears of pain trailing down his cheeks,

"You couldn't have warned me first?! I mean, what the _fuck?!"_

Both commander and knight were left speechless at their younger companion's sudden onslaught of unusual cussing.

The scream they had expected.

But, this.

The two older swordsmen looked at each other sheepishly,

_'Whoops.'_

"Marth—."

"Your Highness—."

 _"Shut up!_ Both of you! _Gods,"_ the prince hiccuped lightly, not caring how impolite and deranged he sounded at this point,

"It hurts even _worse_ now! Dammit, _fuck!"_

Marth tried pulling away from the hold Ike still had on him, but the mercenary refused to budge as Meta Knight calmly came back over, a damp towel and healing cream in hand.

His golden eyes were filled with remorse.

Marth glared at him, not caring how sorry either of them felt.

He was in so much pain right now and that was all he could think about.

Allowing the commander to hold him for the moment, the teal-haired soldier let himself hide his face in the other's neck while the round knight cleaned up the wound before applying the stinging cream and bandaging it up.

The young royal simply continued to sniffle quietly into Ike's shoulder throughout the whole ordeal.

"I'm done, Your Highness," Meta Knight spoke softly before tucking away the rest of their first aid items back into their carry-on pack.

The fuming prince didn't acknowledge him.

Cobalt eyes peered down at the teal head hiding in his neck,

"Marth. We're sorry, but we needed to get that out of your shoulder. You would have been as equally relenting, if not more so if you knew that piece of glass was in there."

Marth huffed quietly, still refusing to move.

He didn't care if the mercenary was right.

Or if his shoulder was already beginning to feel better with the medicine ointment and new bandaging.

He didn't like what just happened.

At all.

"Hey, come on. I'm sure there's some ice cream we can steal that will make you feel better," the commander offered quietly, a hint of exuberance in his voice.

That got the other's attention, but not for the reason Ike was intending.

Marth slowly picked his head up before giving the commander a skeptical and disapproving look.

"Ah! There he is!" The spiked blue-haired solider quipped playfully.

The prince's grouchy face didn't deter for a moment as he continued to glare at the mercenary,

"You expect me to _steal_ from innocent common folk? After what you just did to me?!"

Rolling his eyes, Ike placed a calm, reassuring hand against the other's still shaky back.

"Oh, it's fine! No one is here anyway. Whole place is abandoned and ain't no one coming back here after seeing _that,"_ the older bluenette assured his shorter comrade confidently, motioning his head towards the window where they had last seen their large, child-like statue enemy.

"It is not right. I...I cannot stoop so low to the behavior of disgusting bandits, or even to your unkempt mannerisms, _commander._ I will not stand for this," Marth pouted out, turning his head away from those playful cobalt eyes.

"Your highness, although this idea is not favored highly...it might be one to take up. We are quite low on food, and now bandages and medicine cream. Without knowing if there is another possible village ahead of us...I say we take this advantage while we have it. You surely cannot blame yourself for needing to be a little bit selfish if your health and safety are at risk, no?" Meta Knight compromised gently.

Sapphire eyes looked unsurely into calm and comforting gold ones.

Then, they looked up to Ike.

Marth bit his lip, unable to contain himself when the darker bluenette wiggled his eyebrows at him.

The prince shoved the dork of a mercenary lightly before a shy smile graced his lips,

"Fine."

Both Ike and Meta Knight grinned at that.

"But, can you please put my shirt back on first?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Implements own, made-up cut scene from Brawl* 
> 
> Hope you guys didn’t mind me just casually whamming Porky the Statue from...Mother? in there haha 
> 
> And, obviously I couldn’t let our brave heroes destroy him (because technically that’s Ness’ job according to canon) 
> 
> (And we’re gonna pretend for the time being that the order of Subspace Emissary has been flipped so the story can move on lmao—because I just realized the Porky scene happens before our boys show up) 
> 
> Whoops. 
> 
> Anywho! 
> 
> I hope you lovelies enjoyed this chapter!! 
> 
> And thank you thank you THANK YOU again for all your sweet comments, kudos, and bookmarks!! <3 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	7. Chapter 7

Shift.

Snuffle.

Whine. Shift. Kick.

“Oof!”

Groaning out of his relaxing slumber, cobalt eyes squinted forward to find what he had been expecting.

A messy head of teal hair right in front of his face.

Sighing softly, the mercenary rubbed his aching shin before carefully lifting up his arm and pulling the still sleeping prince up against his chest.

This was the fourth night in a row the mercenary found the younger swordsman had moved during the night, laying himself right beside Ike while the commander was already fast asleep.

Every time, Ike would usually wake up at the start of the other’s nightmare, silently shifting himself closer to the royal and spooning him until Marth calmed down, his sleep becoming peaceful once more.

And, the young prince was none the wiser.

The Altean native had been doing much better in battle, slicing through their constant green enemies with ease just like he had done when their trio first started out in the first week together.

Believing that simply laying next to Ike during the night was the cure to ceasing his constant bad dreams, Marth started making it into a ‘secret’ habit of his.

A ‘secret’ that didn’t take long for Ike to figure out.

Feeling the tremors beginning to settle in the younger male, the mercenary slowly retracted his arm, but kept himself close to the royal in case he became restless again later in the night.

As Ike fell back to sleep once more, he failed to notice the sapphire eyes that were silently staring ahead into the night.

* * *

“That should be the last of them.”

Shaking Ragnell harshly, splattering violet goo every which way, the mercenary wiped his cape across it before planting the gold blade into the ground by his side.

He looked over at his two comrades, watching as they also tried their best to remove the disgusting purple sludge of their recently slaughtered enemies, at the hands of their own doing, of course.

Sheathing Falchion securely back in its scabbard, Marth made eye contact with the older bluenette, blushing lightly when he noticed the commander was eyeing him a little too fondly.

He cleared his throat,

“Um...h-how’s your ankle?”

The teal-haired swordsman facepalmed in his mind,

_‘Good one, Marth. Flirting game on point.’_

Smirking at the suddenly flustered royal, Ike scoffed to himself before walking over to his two allies, a slight limp in his step,

“It’s fine, Princess. Quit worrying so much...,” Ike commented before a glint of mischief flashed through those cobalt eyes as he licked his lips before getting up close and personal with the young prince,

“You did pretty well today, even with that banged up shoulder of yours.”

Face inches from the mercenary’s own, Marth gulped quietly at the other’s forwardness, cheeks bright red as he was still getting himself used to Ike’s more frequent flirtatious teasing.

“T-Thank you,” the Altean stuttered out quietly, trying not to get his eyes stuck on those handsome lips in front of his own.

Meta Knight simply rolled his eyes at their interaction, choosing to get a good look over the horizon instead, which was spread far out past the cliff they were currently occupying.

The sight was quite marvelous.

Although not due to set for another few hours, the sun’s brightness was beginning to dim as it hid itself behind a large mass of trees and mountain ranges in the distance.

A good source of cover unfortunately the three swordsmen won’t make it to for another day or so.

Golden eyes admired the view fondly for another few minutes until he heard laughing coming from behind him.

A foreign sound to the knight.

Because the sudden round of loud giggling was coming from none other than the prince.

Turning around, Meta Knight’s eyes sparkled pink at what he found himself surprisingly witnessing.

“I-Ike stop it!”

Marth was failing miserably at trying to push the mercenary’s jabbing hands away from him, both Ragnell and Falchion forgotten on the sandy ground as the two swordsmen were too enveloped in their tickle fight.

Squealing loudly as the commander blew a raspberry into his neck, the younger warrior took that opportunity to reach behind him and grab playfully at Ike’s exposed stomach, causing the Crimean to choke on his laughter before he batted the prince’s hands away.

“Oh, you little—!”

The young royal cackled loudly before twisting in the older male’s hold and bringing both his gloved hands to jab harshly at the other’s stomach and armpits.

“Gaah—! Dammit, Princess!”

Ike scrunched up his nose in laughter before wrapping his arms tightly around the shorter male so he couldn’t budge.

“Gotcha,” the mercenary growled lightheartedly at the teal-haired swordsman, who continued to giggle relentlessly as he writhed in the Crimean’s arms.

Eyes reverting back to their normal golden-yellow color, Meta Knight shook his head in amusement, not even going to question how the two ended up in such a peculiar and silly situation.

Looking out over the cliff once more, the round soldier allowed himself to rest his eyes on the desert-ridden landscape off to the side.

Suddenly, something glistened brightly in the center of it.

The Popstar Warrior’s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he continued to try and identify the object, which seemed to be increasing in size as it drew closer to the mountain range they were currently atop of.

“Ike, Your Highness,” he called out urgently.

The two swordsmen immediately halted in their actions at their spherical companion’s concerned voice, their hair now frazzled about as Ike’s hands rested against the prince’s waist while Marth had both his own pressed up against the mercenary’s chest.

Cheeks flushed, the two panted heavily as they looked over to Meta Knight.

Slowly extracting themselves from one another, the commander quietly picked up the Altean native’s fallen tiara before gently placing the golden circlet back on top of the other’s teal head.

Then, collecting their scattered weaponry, with Marth clipping his scabbard back to his belt loop, the two made their way over to the navy puffball standing near the edge of the cliff, who continued to stare out into the sandy abyss.

The blue-haired swordsmen looked at one another in bewilderment before following the knight’s line of sight.

All three fighters watched silently as a large, silver and violet robotic creature traveled its way across the sandy terrain.

“What is that?” Marth questioned softly.

The round warrior shrugged in response,

“I am not sure...but I have a hunch it is a part of the Subspace Army, as well.”

Holding Ragnell tightly, Ike walked himself closer to the edge of the mountain side,

“Welp, I say we go after it.”

And with that, both Meta Knight and Marth watched in horror as the mercenary simply jumped off the cliff.

“IKE!” The prince called out in panic, extending his hand out in a futile attempt to catch the red cape before it made its sudden descent down the rigged and dusty mountain wall.

Sapphire and gold watched as the commander expertly skidded his way down the steep slope, stumbling forward as his boots once again made contact with horizontal ground.

The knight and prince let out a quiet sigh of relief before looking at one another questioningly.

“Come on guys! It’s getting away!”

They peered down at Ike once more, who was leaning up against his golden sword as he waited for his two companions to follow suit.

“Are you crazy?!” Marth exclaimed.

No way was he making that jump.

Suddenly, he caught movement in the corner of his eye,

“Meta Knight?”

Said fighter was readying his wings, preparing to make the jump before looking over to the dumbfounded royal,

“He is not wrong, Your Highness. If it really is a posing threat, we better catch up to it before we let it out of our sight.”

Golden eyes gazed over the younger swordsman, understanding the concern in those sapphire orbs,

“You wouldn’t leave a dangerous enemy such as that to escape the battlefield freely, would you Prince Marth?”

Biting his lip, the teal-haired soldier shook his head,

“N-No. I would never. The safety of my people and soldiers are always my top priority.”

Meta Knight nodded, his golden eyes becoming soft at the strength and determination held behind those simple words,

“Well, then. Shall we?”

And with that, the Popstar warrior gave a small hop as he spread his wings wide.

“Wait! But I don’t have—!” Marth called out before watching the knight descend gracefully along the canyon side.

“...wings,” Marth huffed out before peeking over the edge once more.

Landing swiftly on the ground beside Ike, gold and cobalt colored orbs looked up to the prince expectantly.

“Come on, Princess!”

Said bluenette looked down at his comrades worriedly,

_‘This is a horrible idea...I’m gonna break something..._

_Gah! But, I can’t let that monster thing escape our clutches either...oh goodness...here goes nothing.’_

Scratching the back of his head in one last final thought of contemplation, Marth made his own leap down the steep cliff wall.

“Try planting your feet, and then just skid down!” Ike called out.

The young royal grit his teeth as he tried doing just that, his boots skidding unsteadily on the rocky surface before he finally managed to catch his footing.

He then started to glide gently down the slope, just like the mercenary had done.

He grinned widely, looking up to an equally proud Ike before his descent became suddenly obstructed by a rock sticking out of a small crevice.

Gasping loudly, Marth tried catching his footing once more as his speed began to pick up.

“Oh shit.”

“Ike.”

“I know, I know. I got him.”

Steadying his stance, the commander planted his feet firmly into the ground, preparing to catch the younger swordsman as his smooth descent transformed into an uncoordinated one.

Knight and mercenary watched as the prince began to stumble too early, his feet getting constantly caught in the dirt and weeds growing out of the canyon slope.

Meta Knight realized he was coming down too fast,

“Ike!”

The Crimean ignored him, brows drawing in hard concentration as Marth suddenly tripped forward as he approached the ground floor,

“Aaah—!”

That’s when the commander realized the round soldier was trying to warn him for a reason.

The wind got knocked right out of him as a flying Marth rammed into his chest, the two tumbling roughly before crashing hard into the ground.

As the collecting dust began to settle, sapphire met cobalt as the two swordsmen’s cheeks flared crimson.

The prince was sprawled out on top of the mercenary, practically smothering the other as their brushing noses were the only thing keeping them from falling into an all out kiss.

“You two alright?” Meta Knight calmly asked as he made his way over.

Quickly, the two flustered bluenettes jumped back from one another before sheepishly brushing themselves off.

“Y-Yes!” They stuttered out in unison before looking at each other in embarrassment, faces glowing redder and redder.

The Popstar resident chuckled quietly before walking off in the direction of their target enemy,

“Come along you two, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”

* * *

Three pairs of eyes kept themselves hidden behind a large brush beside multiple scattered boulders as they observed the giant robotic monster settle itself within what appeared to be an abandoned ruin site.

“Why can’t we just go after it _now?”_ Ike whined out quietly.

“Because it’s late, and I don’t find it wise to fight it when none of us can see well in the dark,” Meta Knight chided before his eyes shifted to the swordsman on his right.

Marth yawned quietly before rubbing at his eyes, blinking them rapidly before setting them back on their large enemy.

“Plus, we need to recharge ourselves before getting into a battle we have no preparations for,” the knight finished quietly as he looked from the sleepy prince to the aggravated mercenary.

“Fine,” Ike grumbled out before backing away from their hiding place,

“But, what if it moves during the night, or in the morning before we wake up?”

The navy puffball sighed before looking up to the questioning commander,

“I don’t believe that will happen...it seems to appear just as exhausted as Prince Marth.”

“Hey!”

Ike chuckled at the blushing royal before the trio walked back over to their small secluded set up they had made for the night.

A large, filling feast later, all three allies were left stuffed from their meal of quail and shucked corn they had taken from the abandoned town a few days prior.

“This new food has been _heavenly.”_

The Crimean native chuckled quietly,

“Glad you think so, Princess. Told ya, food is one of the best things to ever exist in this world.”

Marth rolled his eyes in amusement before getting up and removing his cape and armor, preparing himself for bed.

Watching the other swordsman, Ike and Meta Knight decided to follow suit before all three companions came back together to clean up their dinner mess.

“You two get a good night’s rest. I’ll see you in the morning,” the spherical soldier commented quietly before tucking himself under his cape and removing his mask.

Looking over to the mercenary, the Altean native sighed softly as he watched the older male crawl under his red cape before rolling over and shutting his eyes.

Biting his lip, Marth kept himself hidden underneath his own as he stared up at the starry night silently.

Now that he knew what was really stopping his nightmares in the night, the young royal was quite embarrassed by it.

He was an adult.

A prince.

He shouldn’t need... _that._

_‘Maybe...maybe it’s not Ike’s...hugs._

_Maybe the nightmares just went away on their own..._

_Yeah...that must be it. They’re probably long gone after Ike and I had our...talk the other night.’_

Cringing miserably at his thoughts, the teal-haired warrior snuggled himself further under his cape, shutting his eyes tightly and forcing himself into sleep.

It was another hour later when Ike couldn’t take it anymore.

He could hear the constant shifting of the younger male across the way as he tossed and turned on the ground, unable to find a comfortable sleeping position.

 _‘What is he doing?’_ The mercenary thought to himself exasperatedly.

Marth should’ve came over by now.

Rolling over to face the restless royal, the commander sighed softly as he continued to silently watch the other.

_‘Okay. That’s enough.’_

Throwing his cape off of him, the darker bluenette slowly got up before making his way over to the prideful prince.

Sapphire eyes snapped open when he heard footsteps approaching him from behind.

He held in his breath as he heard a deep sigh from above before a warmer body fell down beside his own, pressing up against the young royal’s back as a muscular arm draped over his chest.

“Better?” Ike asked softly.

Marth nodded hesitantly, still too shocked to say anything.

“Good. Now, go to sleep.”

And with that, the teal-haired royal tucked himself closer to the taller swordsman before both bluenettes shut their eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Back pressed up against the cracked wall of the ancient ruins, the blue-haired swordsman chanced a glance towards where his still sleeping comrades remained before he peeked behind the barrier between him and Galleom.

Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, the young man took in a deep breath.

Then, sapphire eyes opened, set in determination as they glared back towards his awaiting enemy.

Waking up next to Ike and sleeping with him was as amazing as it sounded.

But, Marth was utterly horrified at his needy behavior as of late.

Swallowing down his fears and insecurity, the Altean native unsheathed Falchion as he took a step forward.

He was the brave prince who saved his kingdom from impending death and doom.

And he was going to prove it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in celebration of my nephew being born at exactly 12:00 AM earlier this morning, I wanted to post an update! 
> 
> So, who totally was waiting for that Brawl cutscene where Ike basically yeets himself off a cliff? XD 
> 
> Also, I sincerely apologize for the excess fluff in these recent chapters... 
> 
> But, hopefully this marshmallow of a chapter will help cushion the blow of INTENSITY that will be happening in the following chapter. 
> 
> So, sit tight. It’s about to get wild. 
> 
> (Okay, sorry I’m a dork) 
> 
> And, oh my goodness, I will never run out of thank you’s. 
> 
> Each and every one of you reading, commenting, kudos-ing (lmao not a word) are just super amazing! 
> 
> Your support means the world <333333 
> 
> (P.S. Go to my wattpad account Lizzard_writer to see the image I used for this chapter—I’m in the car currently so I don’t have a computer to translate it over to here so RIP; I’m not the artist who made it, but it’s the cutest and funniest fan art of the cliff scene from Brawl with our three heroes)
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What happens when your Microbiology lab report due date gets postponed another three days? 
> 
> You squeeze in another UPDATE 
> 
> Enjoy <3

Falchion slashed brightly into the thick metal once more, creating a gash in the heavy material and causing the giant monster to roar loudly.

Multiple missiles were then seen erupting from the enemy's backside before they shot straight for the prince.

Eyes widening in shock, the young royal dove for cover behind one of the large, cracked boulders.

The light bluenette winced, gasping loudly as he brought his sword above his head as the flying weaponry crashed all around him.

As the explosions ceased, a sapphire eye peeked itself open before the Altean native hesitantly lifted his head up.

Before his mouth gaped open in petrified awe.

The boulder.

Marth's only protective barrier in the empty desert terrain the horrendous, robotic ape-like creature had dragged him to—

Was gone.

The young swordsman gulped nervously.

This wasn't supposed to happen like this...

_Tip-toeing quietly over to the resting mechanic creature, sapphire eyes examined it thoroughly._

_It was much larger up close than it had been when seen from a mere cliff._

_Suddenly, a gentle step on a twig broke the silence in the morning air._

_Marth froze as white eyes became aglow, seeming to already sense the prince as they gazed unwavering in the teal-haired soldier's direction._

_Grip tightening around Falchion, the young royal growled lowly before charging at the robotic monstrosity,_

_"Haaa!"_

_Managing to get in quite a few excellent hits, the Altean native smirked pridefully to himself as he watched the large enemy stumble back in surprise._

_As expected, it recovered quickly._

_However, to the warrior's dismay and utter horror, the giant suddenly lunged at him, giving Marth zero time to escape as a strong, technologically advanced robotic hand wrapped around his entire body tightly._

_Crying out, the prince tried wriggling himself free as the creature leaped high in the sky before taking off into the desert abyss, the young royal in tow..._

Sweaty teal bangs were shoved away from the young male's face as he panted heavily, his sapphire eyes staring ahead at his incredibly enraged opponent.

Its screws were beginning to come loose, the prince's own powerful attacks starting to become a serious issue for the mechanical creature.

Standing up on shaky legs, the swordsman took a step around the debris of stones and broken missiles as he wiped at the blood trailing from a scrape across his cheek.

His sapphire eyes then set in determination as he grit his teeth, holding Falchion steadily in front of him once more.

A grotesque, maniacal roar of anger and pain rang loudly from the ginormous robot, before it began to charge forward.

The prince braced himself.

But then, he watched as the ape-like monster suddenly jumped high in the air before aiming his heavy, spiked, perilous robotic feet directly at the teal-haired royal.

Sapphire orbs widened to the size of saucers, watching in horror as the large enemy descended upon him.

* * *

"We will find him Ike. I promise."

"I'm going to _kill him,_ Meta Knight—!"

"Calm yourself."

"You _fucking_ calm yourself! Argghh—!"

Nothing but fear and anger pulsed through the mercenary as he punched his fist hard into an innocent tree, the leaves shaking as a few fell from the branches at the strong impact.

He woke up to the warmth of the young royal's body no longer in his arms.

The other's cape and armor nowhere to be seen, indicating that Marth had left on his own accord.

And, the giant ass robot monster was no longer in the place they had left it at.

But, the sandy terrain surrounding the ancient ruins showed that a brawl had occurred, and obvious footprints just slightly smaller than Ike's own proved that the prince had chosen to take up the fight on his own.

However, they had no idea where the two had gone after finding both Marth's footprints and the giant monster's suddenly coming to a halt.

It's as if they had disappeared into thin air.

And, the commander was becoming more terrified and outraged at each passing moment the teal-haired swordsman was not in his sight.

"Ike! Over here!" Meta Knight suddenly called out to the younger male urgently.

The blue-haired swordsman jogged over to him.

"Look."

Glancing down, Ike gasped quietly.

With a shaky hand, the mercenary reached down and grasped the small object gently.

His overwrought expression reflected clearly in the golden tiara held within his hands.

Concerned cobalt eyes darted forward, scanning the sandy horizon ahead of him,

"They must have gone this way...why else would this be way over here... _Gods_...where _is_ he?"

Ike was becoming desperate, his fear for the younger male skyrocketing as he started to pace frantically.

Golden eyes filled with their own concern as the knight asked himself the same question, apprehension filling within him.

They knew all too well that the young royal didn't go anywhere without his sacred headpiece.

Wherever the prince was.

They knew he was losing.

Suddenly, the knight's eyes widened slightly when he picked up a distinct sound in the distance,

"Did you hear that?"

The mercenary stopped in his tracks before holding his breath.

A faint rumble and roar sounded out again, more clearer this time as it was followed by a cry.

One of a human.

"Marth," they both said in unison, looking at each other with the same amount of worry and terror in their eyes as they took off in the direction of the sudden sounds of the intense altercation.

* * *

Falchion skidded several feet away as the bluenette summer-salted forward, avoiding the incoming blow as quick as he could.

The ground shook aggressively as the giant metallic creature rammed his large body into the sandy terrain once more, his gigantic, obscure robotic feet just a few inches from the royal's trembling body.

The prince was beginning to become fatigued.

His limbs shaking badly from the amount of work he's been pushing his body through trying to defeat the giant monster of Subspace.

An enemy that was apparently unbeatable by just a single person alone.

He needed to get out of here.

In a frantic rush of adrenaline, Marth crawled as quickly as he could over to his sword, grasping it tightly before pulling himself up.

However, his movements were still too slow as Galleom came right up behind him, the ape-like robot preparing its body ready as it stood on the golden tipped spike of one of its feet.

Then, it began to spin.

But, before it could make impact, something else rammed itself hard into the prince's body, tackling the young swordsman to the ground as it shielded him from the onslaught of debris flying from the forceful gyrating of the large enemy.

Gasping loudly as the wind was knocked out of him, Marth began to pant heavily as he tried looking at what had saved him.

But, everything was dark as the object covering him refused to move.

All he heard was the hammering of his own heart beat.

Or, was it someone else's...?

Suddenly, light shined down on the young royal as his eyes tried squinting past the barricade shifting on top of him.

That's when sapphire met cobalt.

"What the _hell_ are you doing—?!" Ike shouted at him, the mercenary's anger covering over his fear before he cradled the prince's body to his chest protectively as they suddenly became bombarded by another set of missiles.

Which thankfully Meta Knight was slashing through above them.

Once the chaos had subsided for the moment, the commander pulled himself and the younger swordsman up to their feet before facing off the ailing robotic monster as a team.

It gave out a loud screech, it's body beginning to lose coordination as it made one final attempt in attack as it approached the three swordsmen.

The Popstar warrior flew up first, eyes flaring red as he slashed Galaxia harshly in the Subspace enemy's face, growling like mad as he did so.

Then, Ike came forward, swinging Ragnell like a mad man as his golden blade cut through the giant, metallic robot's legs before swinging his weapon in the air.

"Great Aether!" He screamed angrily before bringing his large sword down hard.

In one final swoop, Marth sprinted forward before leaping into the air.

Falchion glimmered brightly as the prince dolphin slashed right up into the center of Galleom.

With that final blow, the large, Subspace enemy roared angrily as its broken parts started to separate, explosions beginning to erupt from them.

Suddenly, as the young royal was in the midst of his descent back to the ground, the ape-like creature burst into a fit of flames before jumping in the air and taking off, crashing into the Altean native as it did so.

Meta Knight and Ike watched in horror as their youngest companion went flying backwards before landing hard on the desert-ridden surface,

_"MARTH!"_

The boy remained still, his back to the two swordsmen.

Ragnell dropped to the ground with a thud as Ike abandoned it to sprint his way over to the fallen prince, skidding and dropping himself on the sandy floor beside the unconscious male.

Gently, gloved hands rolled the younger swordsman over before the commander pulled the other's head up into his lap as Meta Knight landed beside him, tucking his wings in quietly as he did so.

The latter's eyes turned grey, sorrow filling them as Ike checked the Altean's breathing.

Cobalt eyes shined with unshed tears, the mercenary stroking the shorter bluenette's face softly as he and the round knight watched the younger boy’s chest rise up and down slowly.

The two older warriors let out a quite sigh of relief, thankful their young companion was still with them before noticing the forming bruise on the teal-haired soldier's forehead.

They were going to need to keep an eye on that.

Suddenly, a small groan elicited from the injured swordsman as he shifted slightly in the mercenary's arms.

Sapphire eyes slowly squinted open, the two figures above him a blur as his eyes tried to adjust.

Then, they settled on watery cobalt orbs.

"I-Ike...?" He whispered out softly.

The mercenary let out a shaky breath as he hiccuped lightly,

"H-Hey Princess..."

He suddenly leaned down to hold those teal locks in his hand before pulling the other into a passionate kiss.

He couldn't express in any other way how incredibly grateful he was that the other was okay.

The commander was terrified beyond belief, and in a way, he still was.

Falchion clattered loudly to the ground, falling from the prince's loosened grip as his eyes widened at the romantic gesture.

But, he didn't pull away as his eyes fluttered shut, pushing himself more into the older male's lips.

After a moment, Ike released the kiss, his cheeks flushing pink as he combed a hand through the other's hair gently before suddenly remembering something important.

He reached a hand into one of his larger pant pockets,

"I believe this is yours, _Your Highness."_

Blushing darkly from their intimate moment just a second ago and from the other's sarcastic retort, Marth sat up carefully with Meta Knight's help, the spherical warrior’s bashful cheeks hidden under his mask after watching the other two interact.

Ike then carefully handed over the younger male's beloved circlet.

The prince gasped quietly, hand flying to his head as he hadn't realized his sister's crown had been missing this entire time.

Chuckling quietly at the teal-haired royal's antics, the mercenary decided to simply reach up and place the headpiece atop Marth's head himself.

"T-Thank you...," the Altean spoke softly before both of his allies helped pull him slowly to his feet.

The lighter bluenette wobbled unsteadily before Ike reached both his hands out to grasp onto the shorter swordsman's shaking arms,

"Easy...that was a pretty hard blow you just took.”

Eyes now back to their normal golden color, they suddenly became stern as the Popstar resident looked up to the young prince,

"Speaking of, Your Highness, what were you thinking? Throwing yourself recklessly into battle like that...without us?!"

The round knight couldn't hide his anger anymore, nor his large amount of fear that the royal had given him and Ike throughout this whole ordeal.

Cobalt eyes clouded over in concern, as well, rage lingering just below the surface as reality suddenly set in,

"Yeah...what _were_ you doing going after it alone?"

Marth bit his lip before he shuffled his feet, scuffing dirt as he did so,

"I...I just...I-I wanted to be u-useful. I feel like...I feel like I haven't done much in these past weeks with the stupid...night issues I've been having...a-and..."

Sapphire eyes glanced up into Ike's stern facial expression,

"I...I was just ashamed f-for...for...needing _you_ a-at night...I-I...I wanted to prove myself, okay! I can fight my own battles, just like you two can!"

Meta Knight slowly looked over to Ike, confused by what the prince meant by 'needing' him.

"Wait a minute...you did all of this because you were _embarrassed?!"_ Ike screamed out in disbelief.

Marth frowned at him, not understanding why the older swordsman was getting so angry with him all of a sudden,

"You don't get it, do you? I am not some small child, Ike! I shouldn't need to be held at night because of some stupid fear! I am a prince and—!"

"Who the _fuck_ cares if you're a damn prince or not, Marth! You're also _human!_ If you need that sort of comfort, than so be it! I don't give a shit, and neither should YOU!" The commander harshly interrupted, nostrils flaring in outrage,

"Your stupid pride could've gotten yourself _KILLED!_ What would I have done if—!"

Suddenly, the mercenary's words got caught in his throat, his cobalt orbs shining brightly with unshed tears as he glared angrily at the ignorant boy in front of him.

He huffed agitatedly, infuriated with this whole situation.

The moron of a prince had no clue what fighting at such a horrible disadvantage could have cost him.

The darker bluenette bit his lip as a single tear trailed down his cheek.

He sniffled quietly as he saw those sapphire orbs widen in shock at the older swordsman's sudden change in emotions.

But, the commander continued to glare daggers into him.

He needed to collect himself.

"Let's move. No point in leaving our sorry asses out here in the open."

With that, the Crimean native wiped roughly at his face before picking up Ragnell and brushing past his two companions.

"Ike—," The young royal started.

 _"Now,_ Marth."

The shorter bluenette tucked his head down at the harsh command before following after the older swordsman.

He chanced a glance at Meta Knight, noticing the large amount of disapproval in those golden orbs.

Marth bit his lip shamefully.

He somewhat understood what he had done wrong.

But, he hadn't meant for it to cause so much trouble.

Or, such grief in the mercenary walking stiffly ahead of him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered out quietly to the spherical soldier walking alongside him.

"I am not the one you should be apologizing to, Your Highness. I think you know that," the Popstar warrior replied coldly.

The younger swordsman nodded solemnly, his own eyes suddenly collecting with tears before he stopped in his tracks.

He hated the feeling of everyone being angry with him.

He needed to fix this.

Suddenly, he felt a light nudge at his feet.

Those golden-yellow eyes below him still shined with infuriation towards the Altean native, but there was a glint of softness in them regardless.

The prince sniffled pathetically at his round companion.

Meta Knight sighed before tugging at the royal's pant leg, encouraging him to continue walking,

"I can feel your remorse, Prince Marth. But, do not let our anger get to you. It is only because we care...now, come along."

* * *

It had been _hours_ and both Ike and Meta Knight still had barely spoken a word to the young royal.

Dinner had been silent.

Only the crackling fire, chirping insects, and munching of everyone quietly enjoying their meal could be heard.

Now, dusk was setting, the moon absent from sight as Marth quietly watched the Popstar warrior tuck himself under his cape without a word to anyone.

Sapphire eyes then turned towards the mercenary.

Spiked, dark blue hair bristled gently in the breeze as the muscular warrior sat secluded against a rickety log, lost in thought.

Marth bit his lip.

He needed to make this right somehow.

Quietly, the young prince stood up before hesitantly making his way over to the older swordsman.

Ike took a glance at the teal-haired royal as the shorter male sat beside him, before he looked out into the night once more,

"You should be asleep."

The Altean looked over at his companion,

"Ike—."

"Save it, Marth. I get it. Now, go to bed. You don't need me to tuck you in."

The mercenary stood up abruptly and was about to walk off when a hand suddenly grabbed tight to his arm.

Cobalt eyes glared down into anxious sapphire orbs,

"Let. Me. Go."

Marth was about to out of fear towards the other's anger, but instead held his ground before drawing his brows in determination,

"No."

Ike growled.

He was not in the mood for this.

Yanking his arm hard, the mercenary watched as the younger warrior yelped in surprise as that action caused him to fall forward, his teal head ready to make contact with the hard ground.

Until a pair of muscular arms locked around his waist, preventing the blow as a face suddenly pressed itself into the royal's shoulder,

"Gods...you are so stubborn."

Sapphire eyes widened in concern when he heard the slightest crack in the other male's wavering voice.

Ike didn't release his hold as Marth tried twisting in his arms.

"Ike?" He questioned softly, attempting to at least turn his head so he could try and make eye contact with the taller swordsman attached to him.

Something was wrong.

A strange feeling came over the Altean as he placed a gentle hand atop the darker blue head still hiding in his shoulder, the grip around his waist only getting tighter at the contact.

Marth glanced down at the man behind him worriedly, his heart aching for a reason unknown.

He really didn't like the older male like this.

"Ike? What's going on?" He tried again.

There was a calm silence.

Then.

"Why...what made you think you could go out there by yourself?" The mercenary muffled quietly, still not taking his head out of the other's shoulder.

The prince blinked at that.

Before his face became clouded over with guilt.

"I...I don't know...," he whispered out softly, looking down at the ground shamefully.

"He didn't either."

Marth turned his head back around, bewildered by who the other was referring to.

Before his breath suddenly caught in his throat.

Lifting his face from the younger male's shoulder, cobalt eyes were rimmed with unshed tears once again as they locked onto the prince's worried sapphire orbs.

"M-My Father...," Ike clarified, clearing his throat as he sniffled softly.

He loosened the hold he had on the shorter bluenette, allowing the boy to turn around fully before pulling both of them down onto the grassy floor, bringing the Altean into his lap as he did so.

The teal-haired swordsman's brows bent in anguish as he watched the usually stoic, quite impudent and carefree soldier attempt to hold himself together in front of the young prince.

Marth leaned forward to comb his fingers through the other's royal blue locks comfortingly, waiting patiently for Ike to continue.

Smiling softly, the mercenary took a moment to admire the sensitive, occasionally annoying, yet incredibly caring human in front of him before letting out a shaky breath,

"He thought...h-he...uh," the older swordsman tried clearing his throat again as his lips started to tremble.

He never liked bringing up the subject of what happened to his late parent.

It hurt all the damn time, and not a day goes by without him thinking about the man he had and will always look up to.

A man who taught him everything he knows.

Who loved his family with all of his heart.

So lost in his swirling, grieving thoughts, Ike barely registered Marth silently wiping the tears steadily trailing down his face before the prince pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek.

"It's okay," the younger male whispered softly before going back and petting the commander's spiked hair soothingly.

Watery cobalt met concerned sapphire as the Crimean pulled the lighter bluenette closer to his chest, resting his intertwined hands lightly behind the other's backside,

"I-It was a late night...a-and Father...he was no where to be found. I-I woke up and he was just g-gone...vanished..."

Heavy guilt set on the Altean's shoulders as he listened obediently, beginning to truly understand why his reckless actions upset the mercenary so deeply.

He continued to play with the other's hair as the sniffling soldier held him tighter in his arms,

"So...being me...I-I went to look for him...and..."

Ike stopped, staring ahead at whatever scene suddenly started playing out in his mind.

Marth took notice before he shoved himself up against the grieving male, becoming chest to chest with him as he wrapped his arms over the other's shoulders. He nuzzled his face into the commander's warm neck, pressing soft kisses into it as the darker bluenette let out a quiet hiccup.

The sudden intimacy seemed to bring Ike back to the present moment.

Blinking more tears from his eyes, the older warrior looked down before resting his head against Marth's own,

"I...I need you to understand something..."

Sapphire eyes peered into Ike's sorrowful, yet resolute ones,

"F-Father...he went into a battle, knowing he was at a disadvantage...a-and he refused my help..."

The older swordsman sniffled quietly before pressing a soft kiss atop the teal head below him, barely brushing the prince's signature golden circlet,

"I...I had to sit there...a-and _watch_ as my F-Father..."

The mercenary hiccuped harshly before biting down on his lip hard.

Marth was able to figure out the rest.

Suddenly, the older male grasped the younger's face in both of his hands.

Ike looked at him sternly, his face filled with nothing but pain as tears continued to drip past his eyes,

"I don't care how embarrassed you are, o-or prideful over some s-stupid royal _shit_...If you _need_ me o-or Meta Knight...y-you _come get us,_ understand?! _Promise me_...you w-won't do something so _idiotic_ like that _ever_ again! P-Promise me, Marth..."

Eyes sparkling with unshed tears of his own, said boy nodded silently before pulling the pain filled commander into his chest, hushing him quietly when the other began to cry softly into his shoulder.

"I-I promise...I'm so sorry Ike...I'm sorry for scaring you...a-and...I'm just so sorry," the royal whispered softly, a few tears sliding down his cheeks as he combed his fingers through the other's hair as he let his other hand rest comfortingly against the Crimean's trembling back.

The older swordsman held onto him tightly, letting out as much of his grief as he needed to.

It's been quite a while since he's let himself cry this much.

And, having the prince by his side was something he would have never thought he'd be indebted to.

A few more hiccups and snivels later, Ike pressed a tender kiss of his own against Marth's neck before pulling his face out of it.

He smirked softly when he realized the other had been weeping silent tears of his own during Ike's break down.

Simultaneously, they both wiped at each other's faces before giggling quietly.

The mercenary then leaned back, pulling the prince down with him once more as he tucked the younger against his chest.

"Are we okay, now?" Marth questioned softly.

The commander chuckled lowly at that before rubbing the other's back as he sniffled quietly,

"Of course we are...we never really were on bad terms, Marth...Just because I am angry with you...that does not mean I no longer love you."

Suddenly, both swordsmen's cheeks flared up at what the Crimean had just admitted to.

The royal sat up in the other's lap.

"L-Love?" He squeaked out.

Ike chuckled quietly before brushing a gentle hand against the other's coloring bruise on his forehead before sliding it down to caress the prince's cheek.

"I'm sorry to inform you, _Your Highness,_ but you have successfully fraternized with a mercenary," the older bluenette spoke quietly, a soft smirk adorned on his face as he gave the furiously blushing royal a mischievous wink.

"B-But...we are so different...y-you cannot expect—," but the anxious boy's words were cut off with a gentle finger pressing against his lips.

"Have you ever seen a rainbow?"

Sapphire eyes turned quizzical at such a random question.

The commander chuckled quietly, finding those confused yet curious eyes to be quite adorable.

"Have you?" he asked again, combing his hand through the other's teal locks.

"W-Well, of course I have...Altea is actually well known to have them on occasion, especially after a good rain...The colors are quite a beautiful contrast compared to the overly green grass along my country's borders," Marth answered softly, a small smile gracing his face as he thought about his beloved homeland.

Ike mirrored it with a fond smile of his own, admiring the sweet prince before him.

"And all of those colors are unique in their own right, correct?" He questioned the other gently.

The teal-haired swordsman nodded, tilting his head in curiosity as he tried to decipher what the other male was getting at.

The mercenary laughed quietly at that look before sighing softly,

"You may be a prince, with your little dainty ways of going about life in full out perfection," he began before brushing his nose playfully against the royal's own, who was now pouting at the other's words,

"And...yeah, I'm messy, terribly obnoxious, and a _little_ hot-headed..."

Cobalt eyes glanced up to find the other's brow raised in disbelief before he chuckled quietly,

"Okay... _very_ hot-headed."

The Altean gave him a cheeky smile of approval before he let the older male continue,

"But...when two very different people come together...such as ourselves...their love creates something beautiful...just like those assortment of colors in the rainbow. They may color themselves different...but they shine as one."

Sapphire eyes blinked at that, before they locked with those cobalt ones admiring his own passionately.

Ike shrugged his shoulders before leaning in and pressing their foreheads together, careful of the other's injury.

"So...you may color me different...," the mercenary started.

"...but, together we make a rainbow," the prince finished quietly, a small grin forming on his lips.

Both pairs of azure eyes glistened brightly as they gazed lovingly at one another.

While another pair of gold watched as both males slowly came together once more as they fell into a fervent kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Feels walk through the door* 
> 
> *Before you can say anything, they punch you in the gut, slam you into the wall just before they toss you out the window* 
> 
> (Depiction of what happened to me as I wrote out this chapter) 
> 
> OH MY GOD THE AMOUNT OF KUDOS THOUGH
> 
> THANK YOU THANK YOU LOVELIES 
> 
> AND MY BEAUTIFUL COMMENTERS, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH 
> 
> Your support means the world <3333333333 
> 
> So...I’m a little concerned this story may end up being long af, and was honestly conflicted in making this into the final chapter. 
> 
> But, I couldn’t do that without warning anyone, so we gonna stick this bitch out until the end. 
> 
> P.S. Apparently, I have a tendency to make Marth and Ike have their first kiss in the eighth chapter of my stories (like literally, Ch. 8 of Hamilton, IT HAPPENS—apologies for spoilers for those of you who haven’t read that story of mine yet) 
> 
> ANYWHO THANKS FOR READING 
> 
> Until the next update! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheers to this story being one month old today! :D 
> 
> With that, enjoy Chapter 9!

"Please put me down."

There was a small giggle.

Then,

"Nope. Not until _you_ forgive me."

Golden eyes rolled with annoyance before glancing down at the swordsman carrying him above their head,

"What has gotten you into such high spirits anyway, Your Highness?"

The teal-haired swordsman stopped abruptly in his steps, a blush coloring across his face as he glanced up to the mercenary who continued to walk in front of them, oblivious to their conversation,

"Uh...n-nothing...!"

The knight chuckled, a smirk hidden under his mask at the flustered royal below him.

He knew very well what had been the cause to the younger male's jitteriness as of this morning.

"You sure it has nothing to do with the handsome man in front of you?"

The lighter bluenette squeaked before pulling the Popstar Warrior to his chest.

 _"Meta Knight!"_ He whispered out harshly in embarrassment as he glared down at his round companion, the other's mischievous eyes glowing pink.

The knight chuckled deeply before those amused orbs returned to their normal golden-yellow color,

"You do realize I _was_ present during your...romantic involvement with the mercenary yesterday afternoon...and, well...you two also weren't very...what's the word... _tight-lipped_ in regards to your very personal discussion last night."

Marth's face was glowing redder than a tomato as he simply stared down at the knight in shock.

The latter chuckled quietly once more before looking up to the bashful royal fondly,

"And...I have forgiven you."

Forgetting his previous embarrassment for the moment, the prince gasped quietly in pure happiness before squeezing the navy puffball tightly,

"Oh, thank you, Meta Knight! I...I promise...I will not act in such an unheeding way ever again. You have my word."

Eyes almost popping through his mask, the Popstar Warrior grunted in surprise and discomfort at the sudden tight grip around his entire body.

"And, I would like my circulation back...if you will, Prince Marth," he gasped out quietly to the young royal.

Sapphire eyes glanced down in alarm before the younger bluenette released his strong grip around his spherical companion.

He then gave a sheepish smile to the armored knight as he placed the other back down on the ground,

"S-Sorry about that..."

A deep chuckle came from the older soldier before the two swordsmen began walking once more,

"It is quite alright, as I am becoming more adjusted to your...unique ways of emotional expression, Your Highness."

The teal-haired royal chuckled at that before scratching the back of his head, cheeks tinting pink in embarrassment.

"Hey, Slow Pokes! Look what I found!" Ike suddenly blurted out.

Knight and prince glanced over when they heard the other's outburst, watching the mercenary point down at some strange markings in the ground.

After having a small breakfast this morning, the three allies redressed all of their wounds from the previous day before continuing off on their journey once more.

Thankfully, they finally found some cover from the blazing sun in a small, shrubbery forest seeming to surround the ancient ruins they recently discovered.

However, their goal was to make it to the snowy mountains just after the forest line breaks off because they were trying to avoid circling back to the sandy terrain that they've been traveling for a little over a month now.

"What could this be?" Meta Knight questioned softly as he peered down at the strange symbols beyond the commander's boots.

"I'm not too sure...but they look similar to the ones dressed all over the ruins," Ike answered thoughtfully before squinting ahead into the trees,

"Hey...wait just a second."

Suddenly, the mercenary jogged a few feet past the ancient lettering and squeezed himself in between two Basswood trees.

Stopping in his tracks, he raised a hand over his eyes when, yet again, the sun shined down on him.

Which then revealed an entire new section of ruins that the brave trio hadn't encountered yet,

"Guys! Come check this out."

A moment later, the other two swordsmen joined the Crimean, looking out onto the decrepit site in wonder.

Then, Ike glanced over to the right,

"Oh! Up here! Let's see if we can scope out the place."

Together, all three trecked their way up a short slope that allowed them to peer down at the majority of the hidden ancient landscape.

However, their curiosity was cut short and switched to silent terror as they became face to face with a giant, gaping hole in the center of the ground below them.

"Gods...what could have caused _that?"_ Marth questioned softly, concern evident in his voice.

"I am not sure...but, it best we keep our observations from up here. Something large and most likely dangerous could have done that...," Meta Knight chimed in.

The three started to slowly back up when the ground suddenly began to rumble and shake beneath them.

Marth gasped quietly as both him and Ike grasped onto each other immediately while the Popster resident flew up behind them to hold his two younger companions from falling over the edge.

"What the hell?!" Ike exclaimed fearfully as all three continued to stare down into the black hole, a loud roar suddenly eliciting from it.

Then, sapphire eyes widened greatly as they made contact with those familiar, glowing white ones,

"N-No...how...?"

Suddenly, Ike yanked back on the Altean hard when he and Meta Knight started moving, not understanding nor caring why the younger male was simply standing there.

Marth turned to them, about to object when the force of whatever was coming out of the ground knocked the prince off his feet, causing him to tumble into his two companions.

All three warriors fell onto the still trembling surface before glancing up to find a giant, robotic creature shooting up from the ground, sparks everywhere as if it were moments from exploding.

"How...is that possible? We defeated him!" Ike exclaimed in disbelief as all three swordsmen continued to watch as Galleom flew further and further into the sky.

Suddenly, the young royal gasped before pushing himself off of Ike and running forward.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?!" Meta Knight bellowed as him and the mercenary made to stand, the ground no longer shaking beneath them.

"Ch-Children...H-He's got children! Look!" Marth yelled out, terrified for the younger boys that could now clearly be seen held within the giant monster's firm grasp,

"We gotta do something!"

Ike placed a calm hand on the frantic boy's shoulder before they watched their round companion fly up into the air,

"You two remain here. I'll take care of this."

Eyes flashing red, the Popster warrior spun around before flying as fast as he could towards the airborne Subspace enemy.

"Meta Knight!" Marth called out in a panic, reaching for the spherical soldier before Ike pulled him back.

"Relax, Marth. He knows what he's doing...I hope," the commander tried reassuring, although he was equally as nervous for their older comrade, as well.

Worried sapphire eyes glanced at concerned cobalt before both could do nothing but sit and watch as the scene above played out in front of them.

Growling to himself, Meta Knight was nearly right up beside Galleom when suddenly, the blond child called out a saying before what appeared to be an electric ball of energy escaped him.

The round knight slowed in his flight, watching as that flashing blue object created an explosion, causing the robotic, ape-like monster to release the two youngsters.

Who were now in an even worse predicament.

Falling to their death.

Gritting his teeth, the Popster resident shot himself forward, wings breaking through the air with all of his might in order to reach the two children in time.

The ground of ruins was a mere yard from the two adolescents when Meta Knight gave one last burst of flight before grasping one child in each arm.

Sighing to himself in relief, the round warrior began to make his way back to his other two anxious companions.

Galleom's explosion above him did nothing to deter the knight's path, his focus solely on the two boys below him and the other two boys waiting for him.

Sapphire and cobalt watched as their spherical comrade gently landed on the ground, releasing the two children as he did so.

"Are you alright?" Meta Knight spoke quietly to the trembling blonde boy.

The young child nodded hesitantly before glancing down worriedly at the other boy beside him,

"B-But, my friend..."

All three swordsmen looked down at the older child in concern, who still remained unconscious.

The Popster resident placed a gentle hand atop the boy's red shirt, feeling his chest rise and fall steadily.

Before the older child sat up with a gasp.

Retracting his gloved hand, Meta Knight stood beside his two blue-haired companions as they observed the children in front of them.

"R-Red?" The younger whispered worriedly to the other as he crawled closer to him.

Gasping loudly, said boy turned to the blonde child before giving him a reassuring smile,

"I-I'm...I'm good, Lucas. Do not fret...but...um...what happened?"

Concerned brown eyes glanced up at the three swordsmen in front of him.

The armored knight stepped forward before his golden orbs glanced back and forth between the two children until they settled on Red,

"You were taken hostage by that fowl beast...Prince Marth here was the one who spotted you two held in that monster's grasp."

Both boys glanced over to the Altean native who waved at them shyly.

Ike placed a gentle hand against the reserved prince's back before looking down at the spherical soldier,

"But, Meta Knight here is the one who did all the heroic work and got you guys out of there just in time."

Said knight glared at the mercenary, not used to such a forward compliment as his bashful cheeks tinted pink underneath his mask.

Ike simply smirked at him.

"Y-Yeah Red...he...he saved us!" Lucas exclaimed before running over to the Popstar resident and hugging him tightly.

The two bluenettes snickered behind their startled round companion.

Meta Knight was very much not used to such affection.

Only being able to tolerate the prince's hugs thus far.

Red chuckled before pulling the blonde child off of the navy puffball,

"I think that's enough, Lucas. I'm sure he knows how incredibly grateful we are."

Smiling kindly at the flustered knight, the older boy simply extended his hand, allowing the Popstar resident to take it gratefully,

"Thank you."

Meta Knight nodded, accepting the more tolerable praise before he stood beside the two amused younger swordsmen once more.

Clearing his throat, Ike looked between the two children, one question still lingering on his mind,

"What were two kids such as yourselves doing running around in a place like this, anyway?"

Lucas and Red looked at one another before the former got a grievous look upon his young face,

"W-Well...we are trying to find my friend...s-some evil guy took him and he went somewhere in this direction. B-But...we haven't found him yet..."

The blonde boy sniffled quietly, eyes brimming with unshed tears as he looked towards the older boy.

Red placed a gentle hand on his shoulder,

"Don't worry, Lucas. Like I've told you, we will find Ness. That is a promise. My Pokémon and I are here to serve as an aid for you and anyone else in trouble in this land."

That's when Marth hesitantly took a step forward, anguish hidden not so subtly in his eyes when he heard the younger's plight.

However, something else caught his curiosity over his empathy,

"Um...Pokémon?"

Red looked up to the confused prince before he gave the older swordsman a playful grin,

"Yeah! You've never heard of them?"

The young royal simply shook his head.

Suddenly, Ike became apprehensive and took a step behind the Altean native.

"Marth..." he chided quietly with a warning tone.

The shorter bluenette simply ignored him in favor of watching what the younger child was doing.

The brave trio watched as Red suddenly pulled out a few red and white balls from his yellow backpack.

Then, he clicked the center of one of them.

In a flash of red, a small, turtle-like creature popped out of the tiny sphere before it hopped around Red excitedly,

"Squirtle, Squirtle!"

With an uncharacteristic squeak, Ike jumped before latching onto the prince,

_"What is that?!"_

Marth glanced to the side at the suddenly terrified mercenary gripping onto him tightly, sapphire eyes filling with amusement.

Red laughed along with Lucas before he patted the blue Pokémon lovingly on the head,

"This is Squirtle. He's a Pokémon! Don't worry though, he's very sweet. Right buddy?"

The said reptile-like creature nodded happily before slowly crawling his way over to Ike.

The mercenary whimpered quietly before scooting behind Marth.

The Altean native laughed along with Meta Knight at the taller swordsman's antics before reaching down and petting Squirtle kindly on the head,

"I don't know why you're being such a _Scaredy Cat,_ Ike. He's cute!"

The commander huffed in embarrassed annoyance before nervously looking down at the Pokémon,

"It's a turtle. Turtles aren't supposed to do... _that!"_

Turning around, Marth grasped Ike's hand and pulled him down,

"Come on, he's friendly."

Cobalt eyes glanced worriedly into those amused, yet comforting sapphire orbs before they looked down at the awaiting Pokémon.

Shutting his eyes tightly, Ike let Marth guide his hand down to pat the turtle-like creature on the head.

"There, see? Nothing to worry about."

Peeping an eye open, Ike glanced down at the gentle Pokémon, who was very much enjoying the mercenary's attention.

"Yeah...and, I bet Ivysaur would love to meet you guys, too."

Glancing up, the three swordsmen watched as Red picked up another red and white ball before clicking it open.

However, a larger, orange dragon-like creature popped out of it as it glared angrily at the three warriors.

"Oops...wrong Poké ball."

Marth gasped, falling backward in surprise before unsheathing Falchion out of fear

"W-What...why do you have a dragon?!"

Meta Knight and Ike ran up in front of the terrified royal,

"Woah woah, Marth! Disarm yourself!"

The younger boy didn't listen as his sapphire eyes gazed unsteadily at the Pokémon set before him.

The orange dragon growled, steely crystal turquoise orbs glaring at the prince, ready to spit a roar of fire at him until Red came up, scratching the angry creature under the neck,

"Easy Charizard, they mean no harm." 

Placing a calm hand above Marth's trembling one, the mercenary helped ease the apprehensive royal before making him lower down his weapon.

"It's alright, Your Highness. Calm yourself," Meta Knight comforted gently.

Gulping nervously, the teal-haired swordsman shakily placed his sword back in its scabbard before nervously taking a step back behind his two companions.

"I...I think that's enough," the Popstar resident commented firmly.

Ike nodded in agreement, smilingly nervously at Red as he placed himself in front of Marth.

"No...Charizard is actually a wonderful Pokémon, once you get to know him! He's just...a bit nervous when meeting new people."

The mercenary sighed, understanding the child was only being harmless in this situation,

"We believe you...just...Princey here doesn't take to kindly to dragons."

Red nodded as he called Charizard back into his Poké ball before doing the same for Squirtle,

"I'm sorry about that."

Meta Knight took a step forward, golden eyes looking up to the remorseful boy reassuringly,

"It is quite alright. You meant us no harm...now, why don't we discuss what we are to do from here."

Realizing the Popstar resident was trying to shift the subject, Ike came up beside him,

"Yeah...where do you two plan on heading now?"

Red scratched the back of his head in thought as Lucas walked up next to him,

"U-Um...well, I believe that bad man escaped into the East side of the forest...towards those mountains. B-But, Red wanted to see if he could find more Pokémon first before we face him..."

Stepping out from behind Ike, the still shaken up prince spoke up,

"I...I don't think it wise for you to continue on your journey alone...n-not after..."

Red held up a hand as the young royal trailed off, giving Marth a warm smile as he did so,

"I understand your concern, but we've been doing pretty well minus that minor inconvenience we just had with that giant robot. We will be okay, right Lucas?"

The blonde nodded confidently before exclaiming,

"PK Thunder!"

Suddenly, that same electrical ball Meta Knight had witnessed earlier came from the young child.

The three swordsmen watched in awe as Lucas simply let the blue ball of energy float around before dissipating,

"W-We've got many ways to protect ourselves, mister, see?"

Marth quirked a brow at the powerful child,

"So...you're a mage?"

Lucas giggled into his hands before shaking his head,

"Nope! I'm just psychic."

Ike's eyes widened before he let out a breath,

"Man, you two are full of surprises."

Red and Lucas grinned at one another before looking up to their saviors.

"Well, we best be going...thank you again for rescuing us. We are indebted to you," the Pokémon trainer spoke kindly before bowing his head towards the brave trio.

All three swordsman nodded sincerely before watching the two boys walk off.

"You sure they'll be alright?" Marth asked worriedly after the two youngsters were out of their sight.

Meta Knight and Ike came up on either side of him.

"I believe so. They are quite headstrong for their age," the Popstar resident answered assuringly.

Marth nodded before a soft kiss was suddenly pressed against his cheek,

"So...what was that about _me_ being the Scaredy Cat?"

The prince blushed furiously, looking up at Ike in embarrassment before speed walking away from him.

"Ah ah, don't run away from me. I asked you a question," the mercenary chided, easily grasping the younger's arm and pulling the other back into his chest.

Marth whimpered, trying to release himself from the commander's strong hold.

The darker bluenette simply chuckled before nuzzling his face into the other’s teal hair,

"You wanna take back those words? 'Cause you got a bone to pick after your reaction to that _dragon.”_

Marth simply shook his head.

Since he wasn't getting a proper response out of the younger male, the mercenary smirked before reaching down and grabbing the prince’s ass.

A loud squeak erupted from the lighter bluenette, face burning crimson as he jumped in the taller swordsman's arms,

_"COMMANDER!"_

Ike broke down into a fit of laughter at the flustered royal, releasing the shorter male as he did so.

Face darkening in utter horror and embarrassment, Marth stomped his foot before crossing his arms over his chest.

Vexatious cobalt orbs glanced over at the haughty prince before the mercenary looped his arms around his waist,

"Aaaww, what's the matter Princess? Can't take some time off your high horse to have a little _fun?"_

The teal-haired warrior whimpered, not understanding why his body was suddenly being overcome with heat as a pleasurable sensation trembled down his spine, centering on his...nether regions.

Before the mercenary could tease the younger once more, the darker bluenette felt a hand slap itself hard against the back of his head,

"Ow!"

Ike glared up into stern golden orbs,

"Please wait until this mission is over before letting loose your unrestrictive trousers, Ike."

The mercenary's face was red as a tomato before he released the equally bashful prince.

Meta Knight sighed exasperatedly as he then took in the young royal,

"Goodness, Your Highness. I would have at least expected _you_ to keep your own decency and self desires under control."

Confusion clouded over the Altean's face, not understanding what the armored knight was referring to.

Biting his lip in order to keep his building amusement under control, Ike stepped over to the oblivious prince before grabbing the other's shirt hem and pulling it down.

"Ike, what—?" Marth started, until he realized what had been the matter.

His cheeks colored over immensely in full blown embarrassment as he peered down at the slight bulge poking itself through his trousers quite plainly for all the world to see.

A deep chuckle came from beside him,

"It happens to the best of us Princess."

Marth glanced at him, shameful sapphire eyes bashfully looking up into those passionate cobalt orbs.

Ike smiled softly before kissing the shy royal's lips sweetly.

"It's alright...at least I now know what makes my Prince roused up with pleasure," he whispered huskily into the younger's ear.

The teal-haired swordsman bit back a whine, cheeks glowing pink as the mercenary intertwined their hands as a mischievous smirk adorned his face,

"Now, come on before Meta Knight smacks me again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated Easter everyone! <3 (if you celebrate that is haha) 
> 
> First: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE KUDOSES AND COMMENTS OF A LIFE TIME OH MY GOD YA’LL ARE BEAUTIFUL 
> 
> Second: I had a bit of a scare with Wattpad recently when someone tried submitting my works some place without my permission, so I’m a bit nervous in posting stories on there if you use that app (I may remove it—not sure yet)
> 
> (Archive of Our Own HOWEVER always has my back, so I ain’t goin anywhere)
> 
> Third: I suddenly got anxious about my love for Ike/Marth (like worried about being judged harshly for it) so I just really wanted to take the time to thank all of you who love this pairing as much as I do, or even if they aren’t your number one, you still support my story and my writing...and, just you all are so sweet for taking YOUR TIME to kudos and comment...it means a lot <3 
> 
> Sorry for these SUPER LONG notes that I always have. I’m just appreciative for my hard work and your beautiful, unrelenting support :’) 
> 
> Until next chapter, 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning: 
> 
> this chapter contains non-explicit nudity (so NO SMUT...just two dudes sitting in a hot tub five feet apart ‘cause they’re not gay—unless they’re Marth and Ike) 
> 
> Basically, just some fluff time in a spring before getting back to the action.
> 
> With that,
> 
> Enjoy! <3

 

Taking another whiff, Ike scrunched his face in disgust before looking down at the generous display of blue tunics in front of him.

Which were a million times cleaner than the one he was currently wearing.

The mercenary sighed as he plucked out two navy blue shirts before handing over twenty coins to the merchant patiently waiting on his customer.

After a few days of trecking through the forest, the brave trio finally made their way up beside the rocky mountains of snow.

A terrain they were not in the slightest ready to take on, knowing it was going to be one of their most arduous tasks yet.

However, as they were traveling beside the large, rigid mountain walls to scope out a possible place to begin their ascent, they randomly found themselves upon a few merchants who had set up shop.

Clearly, they weren't the only travelers to come across here that provided business for these entrepreneurs.

Making his way back over to his other two comrades, the Crimean native showed off his purchase to the lighter bluenette,

"Happy?"

Marth rolled his eyes in amusement before smirking up at the older swordsman,

"Very. Now, you don't gotta walk around in that revolting thing anymore."

Ike huffed in annoyance before taking their provisions pack from Meta Knight, placing his new clothes inside along with Marth's own fresh pair.

Then, he noticed a pink container within the small backpack, which had not been there before.

Pulling it out, Ike gave it a quick once over before growling in exasperation,

"Oh, come on, Princess! Where the _hell_ are you expecting to use _this?_ I don't know if you've noticed, _Your Highness,_ but we aren't exactly in a place where a spa is just gonna open itself up to—!"

"Actually, I'm the one who bought that."

Surprised cobalt and sapphire orbs glanced down at a sheepish looking Meta Knight.

Golden eyes matched the curious pairs of azure above him before letting out a sigh,

"We are _all_ do for a bath."

Ike crossed his arms over his chest as Marth placed both his hands on his hips in disbelief,

"Sir Meta Knight, I say—."

"Meta Knight, that's just—."

Both bluenettes' cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment, cutting their simultaneous retorts short before glancing at one another warily.

Before leaning over and sniffing each other at the same time.

They both immediately pulled back in utter disgust, covering their hands over their noses,

"Oh my Gods, Ike! You really do stink!"

"You're one to talk, Princess! My eyes are burning up right now just from your stench!”

Sapphire eyes glared angrily at those obnoxious cobalt ones before looking down at Meta Knight for some back up.

Those golden orbs tinted pink as they looked up to the prince, giving the younger an amused, yet remorseful look,

"Please accept my apology, Your Highness, but...you do indeed reek the most out of all of us."

Marth's jaw dropped at such a forward insult before Ike let out a loud laugh,

"AH HA HA! _Damn,_ he just flung you right off your perfect little pedestal, _Princess_ —oof!"

The darker bluenette's jeering was cut short as the Altean native elbowed him hard in the stomach, his cheeks burning bright red in embarrassment.

Clearing his throat, Marth brushed himself off before bashfully looking down at their spherical companion,

"W-Well...I-Ike did have a point earlier...w-where um...ah...are you expecting us to successfully...cleanse ourselves, M-Meta Knight?"

The Popstar resident chuckled at the poor embarrassed royal, who was now nothing but a stuttering, flustered mess,

"Well, if the two of you weren't so busy being besides yourselves earlier this afternoon, you would have noticed that we walked past quite the marvelous spring."

Marth's face couldn't get any redder at the pointed look of amusement Meta Knight was giving him,

"I-Ike started it!"

"No, I didn't! You're the one who left yourself wide open!"

"Nuh uh! You snuck up behind me!"

"See?! It's your own fault for not being alert!"

"That doesn't give you the excuse to tickle me to death without warning!"

"Does to!"

"Does not!"

"Does to!"

"Does not—!"

_"BOYS!"_

The two younger swordsmen held their tongues at Meta Knight's scolding, glaring at one another before turning their heads away from each other in a pout.

The armored knight quietly shook his head in amusement before grasping both ends of each of the blue-haired swordsmen's capes as he dragged them Northward toward the awaiting spring.

* * *

And, a marvelous spring it was.

The vibrant, green grass blew gently in the light breeze, colorful flowers aglow in the bright sunlight as they were scattered about along the pool's edge.

The water was crystal clear, blue as the sky as it sparkled in the late afternoon light.

Butterflies flew about as ducks dipped themselves in and out of the cool water.

It was calm.

Serene.

How the hell did Marth and Ike fail to notice this place?

Both blue-haired swordsmen were left staring in awe at the refreshing sight as Meta Knight slowly released their capes, a smirk hiding itself behind his mask as he gave the two warriors a minute.

Quietly, he began to shed his armor, mask, and cape, placing Galaxia beside his belongings before easing himself into the beautiful, fresh water.

Thankfully, a ledge was hidden underneath, allowing the round soldier to perch himself atop it so he wouldn't float off.

An unfortunate occurrence when having a perfectly spherical body.

"The water is quite lovely."

Shaking themselves from their trance, the two younger swordsmen looked down at a very relaxed Meta Knight.

When the silence continued, the older fighter peeped an eye open at the two boys just standing there,

"Well, you are not doing your hygiene any favors by simply standing there. Come on, you two. You're filthy."

Gulping nervously, Marth took a step back.

He was quite shy when it came to exposing more than just his arms, a trait that had already been noticed by the mercenary standing quietly beside him.

And, now he was expected to show off...everything?

Cobalt eyes glistened with amusement at the bashfulness flooding through the young royal's face before nudging the shorter bluenette lightly,

"I won't peek."

Sapphire eyes glared up at him before Marth shook his head stubbornly.

Ike sighed before he started removing his soiled tunic,

"Princess, you need to get clean. Whether you like it in these circumstances or not, we unfortunately cannot heed to your preference and leave ourselves alone to bathe with danger still lurking about, regardless of how calm and quiet this area may seem.”

The royal simply huffed before looking away, his cheeks glowing pink at the now handsome bare chest at his side.

The Crimean smirked before walking off behind a few shrubbery bushes, chucking off the rest of his clothing as he did so.

The prince was still contumacious minutes later, arms crossed while he sat himself on a ledge beside Meta Knight.

He, however, kept his sapphire eyes looking straight ahead, allowing himself to watch the gentle stream of a small waterfall gliding itself into the open spring pool.

Just observing the beauty of the nature set before him seemed to loosen the tension the lighter bluenette was feeling.

Suddenly, a soft rustle from behind him caught the Altean native's attention, and without thinking, he turned around.

Before letting out a loud squeak as he clamped a hand over his eyes, his entire body flaring bright red,

_"IKE! Y-YOUR CLOTHES! O-OH MY—AAAAHH—!"_

The shock of seeing the completely, yet gorgeously nude mercenary threw Marth for a loop as the flustered teal-haired swordsman accidentally leaned back too far and ended up falling backward into the water with a loud splash.

Unfazed by the nudity of the younger male, Meta Knight let out a sigh of annoyance as his peace was disturbed,

"You couldn't have warned him first?"

Ike shrugged his shoulders before gently letting himself slide into the spring, where only his upper body could be seen out of the water,

"Hey, I didn't tell him to turn around."

Rolling his eyes at the darker bluenette's antics, the Popstar warrior turned to look back and make sure Marth was okay.

The royal came up from the water, a sputtering mess as he pushed his now wet bangs aside so he could see in front of him.

Where he was once again greeted by Ike's glistening bare chest.

His nether regions now being hidden under the pool water.

But, the flustered bluenette still let out another embarrassed squeal before splashing himself frantically out of the water, one hand still covering his eyes as he clamored on top of a rock to catch his bearings.

He was drenched.

His armor and his already dirty clothes sopping wet as he panted heavily over the edge of the pool, cheeks burning crimson.

Meta Knight couldn't help but chuckle along with Ike at the bashful boy,

"Prince Marth, are you alright?"

The younger male simply grunted before pulling himself up, falling into the soft grass as he did so,

"I-I'm f-fine...!"

The older bluenette smirked, really enjoying the other's entanglement,

"Now, you definitely gotta get out of those clothes. You're gonna freeze to death later tonight if you let yourself stay in them, Princess." 

Honestly, the prince rather face death than allow himself to be nude in front of his two allies.

His sapphire eyes stared up at the gentle, blue sky above him as his breathing finally began to slow.

He squeezed his eyes shut,

_'You can do this...just...in and out, that's it. You need to be clean. You're filthy.'_

The young royal whimpered quietly to himself, biting his lip softly as he peeked over the rocky ledge he had been occupying earlier,

"You promise you won't look?"

Ike smirked back at him, but those cobalt eyes held nothing but reassurance as he watched the hesitant male calmly,

"We promise."

Gulping to himself one last time, the teal-haired warrior carefully picked himself up before running sheepishly behind the same pair of bushes as Ike.

With shaky hands, the Altean slowly peeled off his wet clothing and armor, carefully removing his golden circlet and placing it on top of his belongings neatly.

However, he decided to keep his undergarments on. He really couldn't bring himself to remove all of his clothing fully.

Meta Knight he could understand.

He wasn't even human...nor had...

But, Ike.

The man really didn't have any form of decency, at all.

Marth held a hand to his dizzying head,

_'How am I in love with him?'_

Speaking of,

"Princess! Bring over that girly strawberry soap Meta Knight bought while you're at it!"

Being drawn from his thoughts, the young prince brought his arms over his chest at an attempt to hide himself before peeking his shy sapphire eyes out from behind the bush.

Meta Knight and Ike looked over at him in amusement,

"No need to be so bashful, Your Highness. We are all males. Now, come along. We only have another hour or so until the sun sets."

Marth whimpered once more, shifting uncomfortably behind the bushes before slowly walking out.

He reached for their provisions pack first to grab the soap before inching his way towards the water.

Ike made to look at him once more before the tomato faced prince squeaked out,

"Hey! No peeking!"

The mercenary laughed before covering his eyes playfully,

"You're not even naked!"

"I don't care!"

The Crimean rolled his eyes under his hand before hearing the soft pitter patter of the other's feet approach his side, distinctly making out the sound of the younger male's slim body sliding into the water beside him.

"Okay, you can look now," came out a grumpy voice.

Removing his hand, Ike smirked down at the furiously blushing bluenette,

"Awww, now was that so hard?"

Marth continued to pout at him before shoving the soap at the older swordsman,

"Hmpf!"

The taller male chuckled at the Altean native's antics before taking the strawberry scented wash from him,

"Why thank you."

The commander then tossed it over to Meta Knight, allowing their round companion to clean himself first before swimming over to the small waterfall on the West side of the spring.

Marth watched him go, cheeks continuing to glow pink as he was unable to adjust to the nudity of the incredibly handsome swordsman.

Hearing chuckling from behind him, Marth glanced over to find Meta Knight rinsing himself off before he pushed his round body out of the water.

Golden eyes then peered over at Marth in amusement.

"What's so funny?" The prince questioned as he eyed the older swordsman in suspicion.

Drying himself off with his cape, the navy puffball smiled kindly at the flustered royal,

"Nothing, Your Highness...it's just...I do not understand why you must shy away from your strong feelings towards Ike."

Blushing darkly, the teal-haired royal stomped his foot under the water,

"Meta Knight, he's _naked!"_

"So? When...in such feelings towards one another, don't you humans usually—."

 _"NO!_ Not until wed, at least! _Sir Meta Knight,_ how could you ask such a _question?!"_

The round solider held his arms up in defense,

"Relax, Your Highness...I mean, it is not I who has been admiring the mercenary with such...bedroom eyes."

Marth's face heated up, glowing three shades of red as he splashed hard at the still drying soldier.

"Prince Marth!" Meta Knight sputtered out in surprise.

Said boy grit his teeth before splashing at his spherical comrade once more.

The Popstar resident actually began to laugh, finding so much amusement in this situation,

"Alright, Your Highness. I apologize. I yield!"

The teal-haired swordsman growled before turning away and crossing his arms over his chest in indignation.

The round warrior chuckled quietly before finally drying himself off and leaving the young royal to head over to redress himself in his armor, placing his mask in its rightful place first.

The Altean native pouted for a short while until those sapphire eyes found themselves tracing back to watch the commander fondly under the waterfall.

Biting his lip, the lighter bluenette whined softly, trying to look away when he realized

He truly couldn't.

Ike was extraordinarily handsome.

His chest shimmered beautifully against the water droplets cascading roughly down his pectorals.

His wet hair almost a shade of indigo as it glistened against the sun shining down upon it.

And, the muscles along his arms and back complimented everything about the older male's upper body perfectly.

Marth sighed with wanton before he shook his head harshly as his cheeks tinted pink.

It was very impolite of him to stare at the mercenary in such a way.

But, he was already caught.

Those cobalt orbs across the way were giving the younger male a similar look, before one of them winked mischievously as Ike silently gestured for the prince to join him.

Glancing over to the side nervously, the royal grabbed for the abandoned pink soap container before he hesitantly made his way over.

Letting the water run down his back some more, the darker bluenette rubbed at his eyes before blinking them open, smiling down at the shy prince as he did so,

"Enjoying the view?"

Cheeks burning crimson in embarrassment, Marth threw the soap at the mercenary angrily before making his leave.

"Hey! Hey! I'm just playing, Princess! Calm down and come here," Ike reassured amusingly before grasping onto the retreating royal's arm.

Sapphire eyes glared at the cheeky commander in front of him.

"This isn't funny," he grumbled out.

The taller swordsman chuckled before combing his fingers through the other's wet locks, trying to calm the tense boy down,

"I know, I know. Being nude is greatly forbidden in Altea. I understand, Princess. It's okay."

Marth huffed at the older male's sarcasm, but he didn't pull away again.

The commander's gentle voice was surprisingly reassuring, regardless of his teasing.

"Let me wash that rat mop of hair on your head for you."

Mouth gaping open, the young prince stared at the smug mercenary,

 _"Rat mop?!_ Why you— _mppff!"_

Rant cut short, the surprised teal-haired swordsman could do nothing as the darker bluenette stole the royal into a passionate, fun-loving kiss.

Releasing it, the older warrior smirked softly as he held the other at arm's length before gently pressing another kiss against his love's bangs,

"Wow. You are _so uptight."_

Marth was too dazed from the sudden kiss to give back a retort.

Ike chuckled fondly at those rosy cheeks as he turned the younger male around gently before applying a generous amount of the strawberry scented soap into his hands.

The sudden movement brought the shorter bluenette back on alert.

"W-What are you doing?" He questioned the taller male nervously, sapphire eyes glancing behind him worriedly.

He did not forget for a moment that the other swordsman was still fully nude under all the bubbly water surrounding them.

Ike rubbed the anxious boy's back gently before taking both his hands and scrubbing the soap into the other's dirty teal hair,

"Relax. I'm just washing your hair."

Marth scrunched his face up at that before the tension he had been feeling all afternoon suddenly began to slowly slip away, his body relaxing immensely at the gentle massaging on his head.

"Aren't you supposed to be washing your own hair?"

The mercenary smiled softly before shrugging his shoulders,

"Yeah...but, I felt like washing yours first. Is that a problem, _Your Highness?"_

The teal-haired royal shrugged his own shoulders before blushing lightly,

"W-Well...n-no...it actually feels...quite nice."

A quiet chuckle came from the commander before he instructed Marth to cover his eyes as he brought the younger under the waterfall to wash out the soap.

The shorter bluenette sputtered a bit before Ike carefully eased him out once all the soap had cleared.

"Feel better?" The Crimean questioned softly.

Rubbing the water from his eyes, Marth nodded,

"I must admit, Meta Knight was smart to force us into a bath...my hair smells wonderful."

Ike smirked at that before handing the soap bottle over to the prince,

"You're gonna have to ditch those shorts if you intend to finish cleaning the rest of yourself, Princess."

The Altean native squeaked at that,

"N-Not with you in here I am not! Y-You could..."

Tilting his head to the side, the mercenary gave the other a confused look before he realized why his younger companion was so worried.

He gently caressed the prince's cheek before having the blushing royal make eye contact with him,

"I am not some kind of _animal,_ Marth. I would never do something you would not wish me to do. I am indecent. But up to a _point."_

The teal-haired soldier nodded in understanding as he nibbled softly on his lip.

"I...I've just never...b-been this...uh...i-intimate with someone before...I-I don't want—," the young prince started softly before Ike pressed a finger to his lips,

"Breathe. Don't worry that pretty little head of yours...there's nothing wrong with taking things slow, Marth...if anything, I actually prefer that."

The lighter bluenette gave Ike a look of disbelief,

"B-But...you're _unclothed!_ A-And we've only known one another f-for a little o-over a _month! Ike—!"_

"Shhh, Princess...this is no big deal, honestly. And, it's not like we're doing _anything_...and, men do this on a daily basis back where I'm from...doesn't your homeland have saunas?" The mercenary interrupted calmly, placing his hands on the frantic boy's shoulders.

Sapphire eyes darted every which way before looking lost up at Ike,

"I-I mean yes...b-but I never _use_ them."

The commander shook his head ruefully, realizing the prince before him was more innocent than he thought.

After another moment of silence, Marth's eyes widened,

"Wait...y-you mean...men...bathe together _nude...normally?!"_

Ike laughed quietly, finding the other's naivety to be incredibly cute,

"Yes."

A shiver rand down the young prince's spine at this newfound information, not comfortable with it in the slightest,

"W-Well that's just...oh my."

The commander gently patted the shorter male's back comfortingly before turning himself around and covering his eyes,

"Alright, Princess. You got five minutes to be a perfectionist and wash up before I turn back around." 

Gasping quietly, Marth hurriedly grabbed a generous amount of soap before glancing downward.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he reached underneath the shimmering, fresh water,

And finally removed his shorts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO GUESS WHO HAS TWO THUMBS AND SUMMONED LEGENDARY HERO-KING MARTH IN FE HEROES ON THE SECOND TRY WHILE TYPING UP THIS CHAPTER AT THREE AM LAST NIGHT???? 
> 
> Yes. ME. 
> 
> And, I proceeded to stay up until six in the morning having the time of my life with my HUSBANDO (and Ceada's *cough cough*) 
> 
> ANYWAY 
> 
> I had a really fun (almost as exciting as the news above) time writing Chapter 10! I've been wanting to do a scene like this for a while and FINALLY found a way to insert it into this majestic story. 
> 
> So, I hope you loved/liked it as much as I did writing it!! 
> 
> AND ONCE MORE, I THANK ALL OF YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE FOR YOUR ASTOUNDING AMOUNT OF KUDOS AND YOUR PRECIOUS, SUPPORTIVE, LOVE-FILLED COMMENTS! BLESS YOU ALL <3333333 
> 
> Until next chapter!
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spring semester is FINALLY over and now the count down to graduation begins! 
> 
> (Oh God lmao I’m not ready to be an adult) 
> 
> So, instead, I shall continue to write more fanfiction about my favorite blue-haired swordsmen!
> 
> Enjoy <3

With a grunt, a gloved hand gripped itself atop a rocky ledge, where it’s owner tried lifting himself up, brown boots scraping themselves against the mountain wall as he did so.

Then, another, smaller hand reached out, thin fingers stretching to latch onto the larger ones below.

“Thanks,” a deep voice muttered before Marth pulled the struggling mercenary up all the way onto the snowy mountain cliff side.

The prince simply nodded before wrapping his cape around himself as he shivered slightly.

“It’s getting colder...we best keep moving. The faster we pass through here, the quicker we get back to warm ground,” Meta Knight observed quietly.

Both bluenettes nodded in agreement before the brave trio continued onto their path, boots scuffling against the crumbling, rocky ledge, stumbling unsteadily on the slightly icy ground.

Watching the young royal shiver some more, Ike frowned before reaching behind his back to take off their provisions pack.

Opening it quietly, he dug inside to grab the other’s forgotten shawl.

Leaving the bag hanging on one shoulder, the commander came up behind the teal-haired swordsman before gently wrapping the azure patterned cloak around the shorter male.

Marth jumped in surprise, sapphire eyes glancing behind him to find the darker bluenette tucking the wooly item snug around his neck and shoulders.

“T-Thank you,” he commented softly.

The mercenary didn’t say anything in return, simply kissing the other gently on the head, rubbing the prince’s back for a moment before fixing the pack on his back.

Ike was then in the middle of reaching for his awaiting sword when suddenly—

“Ike! Prince Marth!”

Both boys turned in surprise, concern shining in both pairs of blue eyes as the two looked behind them to find their round companion holding Galaxia tightly in a gloved hand.

“What is it?” Ike questioned, holding Ragnell steadily as Marth unsheathed Falchion.

They looked past the silent Popstar Warrior to locate the danger that was apparently afoot.

However, nothing but ice and snow covered ground could be seen, the chilly wind whistling lightly as it blew their capes gently in the small breeze.

“M-Meta Knight—?” Marth whispered out quietly.

“Shhh!”

Sapphire eyes widening at the harsh command, the teal-haired royal glanced up to his taller companion in question.

But, the mercenary presented him with the same confused look.

That’s when the ground suddenly began to rumble beneath their feet.

The two bluenettes gasped quietly in surprise before Meta Knight flew up right in front of them, grabbing both of their capes and pulling them down, slamming the two boys into the ground.

Both of the younger swordsmen winced at that action, but didn’t get a say in the forceful treatment by the spherical soldier as the round fighter spread his wings over both of their bodies,

“Stay down.”

Sapphire met cobalt as the humans below the Popstar resident looked at each other worriedly.

Before Ike suddenly pulled the prince close to his chest.

He didn’t know what was going on, but his fear for the other began to escalate and he was ready to abide by any direction Meta Knight gave them.

Suddenly, the ground stopped shaking.

The atmosphere around them seeming to calm.

Ike felt the young royal breathing heavily against his neck as the teal-haired soldier tried looking around, his hair tickling the mercenary’s face.

But, Marth couldn’t see anything with both the commander and Meta Knight hovering over him.

Cobalt eyes squinted past Meta Knight’s wing, trying to make out what was going on now.

But, the round knight noticed and brought his wing in front of the taller swordsman’s face.

Ike frowned at that.

Suddenly, a ringing noise was heard before flashes of light scattered about, the two bluenettes feeling the navy puffball’s wings tuck tighter around them as they heard the other slashing Galaxia through something.

They didn’t understand why Meta Knight wasn’t letting them fight.

Marth growled, not liking how the other was holding his own above them as he pushed himself away from Ike before tumbling out of the Popstar resident’s wing.

Falling onto his bum, the young prince sat wide-eyed as he became face to face with a very peculiar creature.

Roughly the same size as Meta Knight, it had the hat of a jester, it’s body round and bright red as it held a bright blue staff above its head.

But, the creepiest thing about it was it’s one, singular cycloptic eye.

Which suddenly began to glow as the small monster glared angrily at him.

Marth was at a loss of what to do, not expecting this in the slightest.

The other’s eye began to fizzle, sparks of light starting to come from it as the royal continued to stare at it in horror.

Before another round body put itself in between them, it’s red eyes glaring at the prince angrily before shielding the two of them from the sudden blast of light that shot from the creature’s eye.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” Meta Knight bit out furiously towards the young royal after he slashed through the attacking Waddle Doo.

Marth gulped nervously as Ike suddenly scooted up behind him while the round knight covered the two other swordsmen once more with his wings.

“I-I...I just thought—.”

“You were not thinking. At all, Your Highness. These creatures are unlike the ones that we have been facing. They are...from my homeland. But...I have no clue as to why they are here. And, I will not allow you to fight them. Now, stay behind me. Both of you. This is an order that I will not ask again,” Meta Knight growled out angrily, eyes continuing to flare red as he turned back around, letting the two boys scoot up against his back before he covered them with his wings once more.

Lights and electric shocks cut through the sky as the Popstar resident continued to fight through all of the oncoming enemies single-handedly.

What felt like hours, was a mere few minutes when all the chaos began to cease.

Wings unfurled from around the two bluenettes before they turned to see Meta Knight’s eyes reverting back to their normal golden-yellow color.

The two younger swordsmen peered at the massacre around them, Waddle Doos scattered about in a heap as the spherical soldier nonchalantly wiped off Galaxia.

Then, gold met shameful sapphire.

The round knight sighed before gently placing a white, gloved hand atop the prince’s teal head,

“You may have Ike beat in account for reckless behavior, Your Highness. Please, do not do anything so brash like that again. I know all you want to do is give your assistance but...we cannot afford to lose you, as well.”

Marth blinked away the sudden stinging in his eyes at the other’s great concern for him before nodding his head in understanding,

“Y-Yes, Sir Meta Knight.”

Said swordsman smiled behind his mask as Ike wrapped an arm around the royal, lightly squeezing him against his side.

“Alright...now that that’s over—,”

“Meta Knight!” Ike called out suddenly, ripping himself from Marth to slash Ragnell through an oncoming Primid wielding a waving sword towards the navy puffball.

Golden eyes widened in shock before muttering quietly behind his mask,

“You have got to be kidding me.”

He frowned deeply as he turned towards the prince sitting beside him before he helped the young royal up to his feet, the two of them joining Ike in their onslaught against the approaching small army of the jade, zombie-like creatures.

Galaxia and Falchion cut through five of the sword wielding enemies while Ragnell charged all the way through ten Primids holding fire guns.

“Where the hell do these things keep come from?!” Ike shouted angrily as he cut his golden blade through more of the green henchmen.

Meta Knight grit his teeth, not answering the frustrated bluenette as his eyes flashed red once more before he flew up to cut down into the the Boom Primids flinging gold boomerangs in his direction.

Sword clashed with sword as Marth skidded backwards on the icy ground, Falchion being held aggressively against the red-eyed, plush enemy’s weapon before him.

Giving way, he lunged towards the creature once more before slashing through it.

Then, spinning gracefully, the prince cut through eight more of the jade monsters in one swift swing.

The young royal was about to catch up and provide aid to his two comrades when his hair was suddenly yanked hard from behind.

He gave out a yelp as his back slammed down onto the floor before he watched as his circlet flew off his head and thankfully landed in a patch of snow.

But then, sapphire eyes glanced up to find themselves bombarded by more Sword Primids ready to slash into him at the ready.

Brows drawing in anger, the teal-haired swordsman got on one knee before slashing Falchion expertly through the feet of the oncoming green enemies, causing the majority of them to fall over with a thud.

Smirking to himself, the prince then hopped into the air before ramming his silver blade down hard on the sluggish creatures.

Landing feet first back onto the icy ground gracefully, Marth held Falchion tightly in his grip before scoping out to see if any more Primids were around him.

Deeming himself safe, the young royal hurried over to grab his golden headband that had fallen during that short battle.

Suddenly, a Primid popped up from behind the hidden ledge covered in snow before kicking the prince hard in the stomach.

Gasping loudly in surprise, the teal-haired swordsman stumbled back, the impact causing him to release his sister’s headwear as he started to skid on the icy floor.

Meta Knight and Ike just finished taking care of their own circle of enemies before turning to check on the prince.

Before their eyes widened in horror, watching as the younger male’s boots failed to meet friction as Marth started stumbling backwards even further.

Getting uncomfortably close to the edge of the mountain.

However, the royal caught his balance just in time, stabbing Falchion hard into the ground in order to stop himself from falling right off the high cliff.

He would definitely not survive such a descent.

All three let out a sigh of relief.

Until the last remaining Primid suddenly charged towards the Altean native once more.

Hands holding tight to its hilt, Marth pulled hard on his sword.

But, Falchion wouldn’t budge.

Marth gulped.

_‘Oh no.’_

The green creature hopped, leg stuck out in front of itself as it flew straight for the prince.

 _“NO!”_ Ike screamed, his own boots skidding on the slippery ground before he tried making his way over in time.

Meta Knight flew up as well, his wings spreading wide as he shot himself towards their youngest companion.

But, they were both too late.

The Primid hit the other’s chest plate hard, causing Marth to lose his footing once more before the prince felt his boots struggle to plant themselves as he skidded right off the cliff.

Where he then began falling to his death.

The Altean let out a cry of fear, his limbs flailing desperately to grasp onto something when suddenly, a pair of large claws grasped onto him tightly.

Gasping in surprise, the prince trembled like a leaf as he stared down at the ground below, a place that would have finished him off if it weren’t for whatever had saved him.

Sapphire eyes then glanced up to be greeted by a familiar pair of steely turquoise ones,

_“Ch-Charizard?!”_

The orange dragon-like creature growled lowly at him, holding the terrified swordsman tighter as he ascended higher into the sky before spinning in the air and flying themselves back over to the cliff side.

Marth latched onto the Pokémon fearfully, appreciating the reptilian for saving his life but completely horrified by the prospect of a _dragon_ flying him with ease through the air.

About a hundred or so feet off the ground.

Turquoise eyes peered down once more at the prince, a deep chortle of a grunt coming from him.

The teal-haired warrior glanced up at that as the orange creature finally landed them back onto the mountain pass.

Was the Pokémon... _laughing_ at him?

However, Marth didn’t have enough time to think on that before Charizard released him into another pair of muscular arms that wrapped around him tightly.

“Oh my _Gods,”_ Ike breathed out anxiously into the other’s ear before Meta Knight flew up next to them, allowing his wings to hover protectively over the two other swordsmen in a hug of his own,

“That was...most horrifying, Your Highness. We are so glad you are okay.”

Still shaky from the whole ordeal, Marth hugged them back just as tight, if not more so.

After giving the three of themselves a moment of intimate security, the prince released his own hold from his worried comrades before turning towards the orange Pokémon.

Then, all three allies heard someone clear their throat behind them,

“I...um..b-believe this is yours.”

Turning around, three pairs of eyes watched as said person walked themselves over to the prince.

“R-Red...? But, how—?” Marth questioned softly as he took his golden circlet from the younger boy’s hands.

The Pokémon trainer smirked softly before he walked over to pet Charizard proudly on the neck,

“We saw you guys fighting and we started hurrying our way over here to help you. So, I sent Charizard up to help you guys out, knowing on foot we wouldn’t make it in time.”

The young royal held a hand over his heart, sapphire eyes looking gratefully up to the huffing dragon before him,

“H-He saved me...”

The orange creature growled softly before stomping slowly over to the Altean.

Crystal turquoise met sapphire as the prince gulped nervously at the creature towering over him.

He raised a shaky hand upward in a small wave, unsure about what to do in this situation.

Everyone held their breath as Charizard leaned his head closer to the teal-haired soldier before he rubbed his head lightly against the young royal’s raised hand.

Red looked as dumbfounded as Marth felt.

“W-Why...?” The prince suddenly asked the Pokémon softly.

Charizard grunted quietly before pulling his head back, looking down at the lighter bluenette.

He huffed softly, his turquoise eyes matching those sapphire eyes below him.

The two held their gazes for a long moment, a silent understanding of alliance falling between them, where no words were necessary.

The dragon-like Pokémon then swished his tail lightly before flapping his wings gently, grunting quietly once more at the prince before stomping back over to Red.

Marth let a small smile grace his face as Ike and Meta Knight came up next to him, both too shocked to say anything.

Red cleared his throat, incredibly confused,

“W-What...um...happened, exactly?”

Marth blinked at that before he felt a secure hand hold onto his waist.

“Well...y-your a... _pet_ there...kinda...well, saved Marth’s life. Charizard caught him just as he fell off the cliff right there,” Ike answered quietly, nodding his head over to where Falchion was still stuck in the ground.

The mercenary was still in shock over almost losing the other along with the Pokémon’s surprising heroic actions as he pulled the prince closer to his side.

Red looked up to Charizard, the usually disgruntled Pokémon glancing over at the teal-haired royal fondly.

Then he smiled,

“There must be something real special about you if Charizard took a liking to you so quickly. He doesn’t usually take his time to save...well...anyone...I mean, it was just a hassle for him to save my own life way back when we first started traveling together, right bud?”

The large Pokémon grunted happily when Red began to scratch him under the chin.

Marth blushed lightly at that, shuffling his feet bashfully when Ike smirked down at him, the royal feeling Meta Knight’s own amused look hiding under his mask.

How he and Charizard first started off, this was quite the strange turn of events.

But, then again...one of his closest friends back home, Tiki, was a Divine Dragon herself that absolutely adored Marth with all of her heart...regardless of his timidness towards her transformative ability and Falchion’s dangerous afflictions towards Tiki herself.

Ike played with the embarrassed boy’s hair before glancing down when Meta Knight spoke up,

“Where is Lucas?”

As if on cue, said boy came stumbling up behind them with Squirtle in tow,

“I-I’m here! We were trying to catch up when Red and I saw you guys! But...um..,” face tinting pink, the blonde boy looked at the turtle-like Pokémon, who looked equally as bashful as the two of them came up beside Red,

“We...got distracted playing in the snow again.”

The three swordsmen chuckled quietly at that as the Pokémon trainer ruffled the younger boy’s hair,

“Thank goodness we had enough coins for snow jackets, because I’m sure you’d be freezing right about now.”

Lucas giggled at that before the two boys watched as Squirtle ran over to Ike.

“Oh Gods no,” the commander squeaked out before standing stock still as the Pokémon hopped up and down in front of him.

Meta Knight and Marth chuckled before the latter picked up the excited, light blue creature and presented it in front of Ike’s face.

“Marth. Stop it. What are you doing?!”

The prince giggled as he let Squirtle hop onto the mercenary’s shoulders.

“Aaah! Princess! I’m going to _kill_ you! Get it off! Get it off!”

But, Marth didn’t listen as him and the two younger boys started laughing hysterically at Ike’s antics.

And, Squirtle seemed to be enjoying it too as he crawled atop the older bluenette’s head before picking at his spiked blue locks playfully.

Then, he noticed the taller swordsman’s dark green headband.

The Pokémon chirped playfully before pulling it right off the Crimean’s head and wrapping it around his own.

Ike gasped at that as Squirtle proceeded to hop off his back and run around,

“Hey! Give that back!”

Now, even Meta Knight started joining in on the laughter.

This was all too much.

Ike bit his lip as his cheeks flushed bright red.

Although this was embarrassing for him, he too was starting to find this incredibly humorous and couldn’t help but grin when he saw Marth’s eyes crinkle with such joy.

After a few minutes, Squirtle began to settle before crawling back over the the amused mercenary.

Ike bent down in front of him, reaching a gloved hand out to pet the Pokémon’s head fondly,

“It looks great on you.”

The turtle-like creature beamed up at him,

“Squirtle! Squirtle!”

The darker bluenette chuckled at the reptilian’s antics before gently removing his bandana from the Pokémon and tying it back around his own forehead, where it belonged.

Suddenly, something roared loudly above the mountain, disturbing the peaceful and playful atmosphere of the five allies.

“W-What was that?” Lucas asked timidly, hiding his small frame behind Red.

The older boy placed a calming hand on the younger’s shoulder as he looked up to the sky in concern.

The three swordsmen looked at each other worriedly, silently asking themselves the same question before Ike jogged over to pull Falchion out of the ground for Marth,

“No clue...but, we need to prepare ourselves in case of anything—,”

 _“MY SHIP!”_ Meta Knight cried out suddenly, golden eyes flashing white in extreme shock.

Everyone looked up, a cloud of deep mahogany accompanied by more purple shadow formed above them as they watched a small, silver pointed ship firing orange lasers at a much larger, dark winged one.

The front of it an exact replica of the Popstar warriror’s mask.

“What is that?” Ike muttered out softly, cobalt eyes widening at such a peculiar object.

“Y-You fly that thing?!” Red exclaimed in utter shock.

Eyes suddenly flashing red, Meta Knight flew up into the air,

“I do. And, I would like to know who in their right mind has control of it. The Halberd...it...it shouldn’t even be here.”

Marth and Ike frowned as they looked up at their round companion.

“What are we to do?” The prince asked, preparing himself for a possible altercation.

The navy puffball frowned behind his mask before flying down in front of them,

“You are to stay here.”

Both boys bent their brows in anger,

_“WHAT?!”_

Meta Knight growled.

He did not have time for this.

He needed to take control of his ship! 

And, now it made sense to him as to why the Waddle Doos were present in this world. 

“Listen to me! It is too dangerous for you to accompany me. It is much faster travel by air, anyway. A feat which the both of you cannot do.”

“But, Meta Knight you can’t—,”

“I can. And, I will, Your Highness,” the Popstar resident stated firmly before his eyes softened as he looked down at the two anxious swordsmen,

“Do not fret. I will be alright. And, I promise to meet with the two of you as soon as I can...You must allow me to complete this task on my own.”

Marth shook his head aggressively, not liking this in the slightest.

“Prince Marth—.”

“N-No! We can still climb and meet up with you and—!”

Quietly, Meta Knight floated down before grasping one of Marth’s hands and one of Ike’s.

Then, he placed them into each other’s own,

“You are to take care of yourselves. Look out for one another as you have been. We will meet again. I promise.”

This was coming on too sudden, and Marth did not like it one bit.

His sapphire eyes stung with unshed tears as Ike suddenly reached out to grab onto Meta Knight’s cape,

“STOP!”

The spherical soldier blinked down at the mercenary, whose cobalt eyes shined with an equal amount of remorse as the prince’s watery ones,

“Meta Knight please...don’t do this. Don’t leave us like this! Let us help!”

The round knight grit his teeth.

This decision was already hurting him immensely, and he couldn’t bear to look at the two younger swordsmen’s painfully hurt faces any longer.

So, he ripped himself away from Ike’s desperate hold before shoving the two bluenettes hard.

Then, he took off.

 _“No! Dammit_ Meta Knight!” Ike yelled out angrily before punching his fist hard into the mountain wall, ignoring the blood coming from his knuckles.

Then, he remembered the prince’s smaller hand was still held within his own.

The mercenary tugged on it hard,

“Come on. Let’s get going and meet up with him. No way is he _fucking_ doing this alone.”

Marth nodded in agreement before gesturing for the two boys to follow them,

“Come on! Let’s—.”

Suddenly, the royal’s words were cut short as a large piece of metal from the Halberd came loose and crashed hard into the top of the mountain, causing snow to begin crumbling as it made its decent towards the four fighters.

Eyes widening in shock, all four made to run for cover as the avalanche started trembling the entire mountain pass.

Since Ike and Marth were already a few steps ahead, the two found a cave-like seclusion that should keep all of them safe.

However, when they turned back around, Red and Lucas were about to cross over the same threshold when the large pile of snow tumbled down right in front of them, cutting the boys off from the two swordsmen.

 _“Red! Lucas!”_ Marth called out frantically, releasing his grip on Ike to run over to the giant wall of snow and ice.

But, no one called back.

The teal-haired soldier tangled his hands in his hair as he began pacing back and forth anxiously.

This was a disaster.

Everything was fine just moments ago.

Now, Meta Knight was gone.

Both Red and Lucas were stuck on the other side of the avalanche debris.

Or they were—

“Marth!” Ike called out before jogging over to the panicked bluenette,

“Come on. There’s nothing we can do. We gotta hide before more snow falls!”

The prince pulled away from the mercenary, shaking his head desperately as he looked back at the wall of snow once more.

The commander frowned before gently pulling the younger along, away from the horrendous mess of rocks and ice.

Turning back around, the two were just about to enter their hidden cave before Marth suddenly looked up as the mountain gave way once more,

_“IKE!”_

The older male turned towards the other before the Altean launched himself hard into his stomach, the two landing roughly on the cold, rocky floor of the cave as a giant icicle of rock twice their size came crashing down behind them.

Right where Ike had been standing.

Breathing heavily, the mercenary looked down at the young royal on top of him in surprise.

The prince just saved his life.

Watery sapphire eyes glanced up into grateful cobalt.

Before the mountain began shaking once more.

Marth gasped fearfully before latching onto Ike, his eyes squeezed tight as he prayed the cave would keep them safe.

The commander held him just as fiercely, looking up and thanking the Heavens that there were no icicles residing on the ceiling of the cave that could fall on them.

Once the commotion ceased, the bluenettes looked around hesitantly.

Before realizing they were stuck inside the cave.

The large icicle slicked boulder that almost killed Ike blocking their only exit out of there.

Sapphire met cobalt, both pairs of eyes shining in fear.

The mercenary brought the prince close to his chest as Marth whimpered out,

“What do we do now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “You are to stay here.” 
> 
> I’m sorry guys, but when I re-read that line from MK during my proof reading, my heart dropped to the floor. 
> 
> But, don’t worry! This story cannot be complete without our favorite puffball, so he will be back! 
> 
> Our blue duo is just going to have some one-on-one time as the adventure continues all the same! 
> 
> And, thank you x 100 for the continuous kudos and wonderful comments! 
> 
> I love you all and thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> I truly love this adventurous story of our trio. 
> 
> So much that I’ve been failing to finish Chapter 4 of Hamilton Drabbles XD (but, don’t worry I will hopefully finish it before completing Chapter 12 of this story)
> 
> With that, 
> 
> Have a magical rest of your day!
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chromgradulations, 
> 
> Ya’ll are about to read the longest chapter I have written thus far. 
> 
> Enjoy! :D

“Aaarggh!”

“Ike, there’s no use. It’s not going to budge and you will damage your sword if you keep trying.”

“Well, at least I’m doing _something_ dammit!”

With another enraged growl, the mercenary slammed his golden blade once more against the boulder of ice blocking their way out.

Marth gasped quietly as it caused the walls of the cave to reverberate against each other, Ike making the same dive as he did all the other times over to him to cover the prince in case their current living quarters were to collapse.

With muscular arms locked around his upper body, the Altean native gave out a huff, blowing a teal bang away from his bitch face,

“Ike.”

Cobalt eyes rolled in annoyance, the trembling of the walls settling as the commander released the younger male before plopping down beside him,

“One more bitchy complaint and I’m throwing _you_ at the stupid rock next.”

Marth glared angrily at him before getting up to find something to start a fire with.

It was beginning to get very cold.

Colder than it had been outside.

And, Ike’s one hundredth sneeze of the day and a half they’ve been currently trapped in here confirming just that.

Said male watched the teal-haired prince silently, trying to figure out what he was doing,

“If you gotta pee again, there’s no where to hide in here. I didn’t look the last ten times Princess, so just go. We don’t need you almost wetting yourself again like yesterday.”

Marth’s cheeks flared red in embarrassment before he flashed stern sapphire eyes over at the smirking mercenary,

“It is a horrendous task to do in here! Don’t blame me for trying to hold it. _Gods_ Ike, your indecency is disgusting! And, that’s not even what I am trying to do anyway.”

The older male laughed quietly before turning a quirked brow at the other,

“Then, what _are_ you—?”

Suddenly, Ike’s questioning got cut off by a loud fit of harsh coughing, the mercenary covering his elbow over his mouth as his chest throbbed painfully.

The young royal gasped before stopping what he was doing to run over to the darker bluenette, rummaging through their pack of provisions to find _something_ that could ease the taller swordsman’s current ailment.

But, he knew his search was fruitless.

They weren’t prepared for a situation like this.

So, the only thing the prince could think of was to pull out his wooly shawl and wrap it around the heaving mercenary.

However, the stubborn warrior tried batting his hands away,

“P-Princess, I’m fine. Just a little cold. I don’t need that—.”

_“Shut up.”_

Cobalt eyes blinked at the unusual harsh tone, but it stopped the commander’s protest nonetheless as Ike let Marth tuck the warm material around his neck and shoulders.

Then, they made contact with those obviously worried sapphire eyes.

“Hey,” the Crimean spoke gently as he held the other’s chin in his hand,

“Relax. I’m alright. It’s just a little head cold, okay? And, you’ve been doing a wonderful job of taking care of me. But, I _will_ be okay. So, quit giving me that doe-eyed look.”

Marth gulped nervously.

He hated the sound of Ike’s raspy voice, the struggling rise and fall of the older soldier’s chest, and his glossy cobalt eyes.

They were stuck in the cave for almost two days now, and the mercenary became sick immediately on the first.

And, it scared the Altean dearly.

“Marth.”

Blinking from his anxious-filled thoughts of the other, sapphire eyes glanced up at that stern tone of voice.

Ike smiled gently at him, however, before patting the other’s cheek fondly,

“I. Am. Fine. Now, continue what you were doing.”

Nodding silently, Marth leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against Ike’s warm lips before making his way back over to the cave wall.

The commander smiled fondly as he let himself watch the younger male at work.

A few minutes later, Marth walked himself back over to Ike with a collection of pebbles and sticks in his hands.

Sitting down beside the other, the teal-haired swordsman tossed the thin wood pieces in front of them before he began clacking two of the small rocks together, hoping to initiate some form of spark.

However, when nothing happened after the first couple of tries, the young royal suddenly let out a growl of agitation before slamming the pebbles into each other, causing them to crumble into pieces.

“Hey!” Ike chided out harshly, grabbing the Altean’s shaking hands and forcing the boy to release the broken stones,

“That’s enough. Give me the other ones.”

Marth shook his head angrily, before picking the extra pebbles up himself before going at it again.

But, Ike once more held down both his arms,

“Marth. Stop it. Let me help.”

Expecting the other to let out another protest, cobalt eyes widened in surprise when the younger boy instead let out a hiccup before dropping the pebbles immediately.

Brows bending in anguish, Ike released his harsh grip on the other in order to hold the upset prince’s face in his hands,

“Woah, woah...hey, what’s the matter?”

Watery sapphire eyes shined helplessly up at the commander before Marth jerked his face out of the darker bluenette’s soothing grasp.

He then stared angrily at his poor job to start a fire,

“I need to do it myself. Y-You’re sick. I-I have to help you! You have to get better! I...you...W-We...WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!”

Suddenly, the shorter male jumped up to his feet before running to the boulder of ice and slamming his fists against it.

Ike pushed himself off the ground immediately before wrapping his arms tight around the prince, pulling him back harshly,

“STOP IT! NOW! We are going to get _nowhere_ with you freaking out like this! CALM DOWN!”

Marth whined loudly before kicking and punching his way out of the mercenary’s grasp, but the Crimean refused to yield.

He just continued to let the teal-haired royal ride out his temper tantrum.

The mercenary may have been getting sick over the time they’ve been stuck in here, but the other has been constantly having these states of panic and upset, as well.

Honestly, they were both going to lose their marbles if they didn’t find a way out of here soon.

Or, their lives by freezing to death.

Feeling the young royal’s heaving beginning to slow, Ike pressed a gentle kiss to his sweaty teal head,

“You done?”

Marth nodded slowly, his trembling bottom lip sticking out slightly before he turned his face into the mercenary’s chest, mewling softly as he did so.

The older swordsman hushed him quietly, rubbing soothing circles against the prince’s back as he slowly walked the two of them back over to their mess of sticks and pebbles.

Ike took a seat first before he pulled the Altean native into his lap,

“Come on. We’ll do it together, okay?”

Marth sniffled softly, nodding silently as he wiped at his eyes.

The commander pressed a soft kiss to the other’s cheek before taking the forgotten two pebbles into his hands and showing the young royal the proper way to create a fire.

* * *

He was getting nowhere.

His two annoying, constantly bouncing companions were making him more aggravated by the minute.

If he was being honest with himself, Prince Marth’s constant hugs were extremely welcoming right about now.

Because being stuck alone with children such as these two were not necessarily his _forté._

And, the round knight could not understand _why_ there were more youngsters even finding themselves in such a dangerous world.

The little brats called themselves the “Ice Climbers,” but Meta Knight refused to acknowledge them by such a silly title that they couldn’t even uphold to.

The two children were incredibly clumsy, albeit being crafty with the ice surrounding them.

“Met Kni!”

Gods, they couldn’t even say his name correctly.

Golden eyes rolled in annoyance before the spherical soldier glided over to them,

“Yes?”

Nana and Popo looked up at him worriedly before pointing to the very top of the snowy mountain.

Easily seen from their viewpoint was a blue and black, fur-coated creature who appeared to be meditating on the very tip.

“Hmmm...let us continue. But, quietly. We do not want to disturb him in case he is a threat to us. Do you understand?”

The children nodded quickly before holding out their gloved hands to Meta Knight, bouncing restlessly up and down once more.

Although he was not too fond of these children, the Popstar resident missing the mercenary and prince very deeply, he couldn’t help but let a small smile tug at his lips before reaching his own gloved hands to the awaiting youngsters.

Then, he flew them up in the air, rolling his eyes playfully at Nana and Popo’s joyful giggling,

“Please hold on to me tightly, you two.”

* * *

Fire now aglow, both bluenettes cuddled together quietly while they raised their hands in front of the warm flame.

They were pretty sure nightfall was to be expected in another few short hours since both swordsmen were becoming sleepy as time wore on.

However, a growl to Ike’s stomach indicated that it was at least time for dinner.

Marth giggled quietly at the older male’s sheepish look before reaching for their provisions pack to the side to find out what kind of foods they had left to eat.

Frowning, the prince rummaged through the bag once more before pulling out one shuck of corn, a still seemingly fresh apple, two potatoes, and a molded over tomato.

He looked over to Ike solemnly.

“Is that it?” The mercenary asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

The teal-haired royal nodded, biting his lip worriedly as he peered his sapphire eyes back into the provisions pack.

They clearly hadn’t realized how low they had been running on food.

The commander nodded in understanding as the other presented the items in front of them,

“Okay...we gotta be smart about this. We don’t know how long we’re gonna be here for so...we gotta assume the worst, okay? That’s the only way we are gonna ration out all of this properly.”

Marth glanced up at the other at that, but didn’t say anything to Ike, knowing the taller soldier was right.

Their terrible situation was becoming incredibly real now, and the young royal needed to keep himself from panicking.

They needed to survive.

Nodding silently, the younger swordsmen felt a comforting rub against his tense back as Ike sneezed into his arm once more before sniffling quietly.

Then, Marth bent his brows in thought as he sifted through their small amount of food some more.

“Okay. I got it.”

The mercenary blinked at that as he watched the shorter male silently.

The prince reached for one potato, handing it over to Ike as he pushed aside the other items before his sapphire eyes matched with curious cobalt,

“We can do one of two things. We can share this potato now, and because it has carbs, it will be all we eat for the remainder of the night. For breakfast tomorrow, we will share the apple, skip lunch, and then share the other potato for dinner...but, that only gives us one day left with a single shuck of corn.”

Ike’s brows drew in great concern as he awaited Marth’s other idea,

“That option doesn’t really sound too great...and neither will this one. We can use this potato twice, instead, where we will only have a quarter of a piece each and share half of the corn tonight. Tomorrow, again, the apple for breakfast, skipping lunch, and then finishing the potato and corn for dinner. That leaves us with another extra day with a full potato to eat...but, we also are low on water...and, that’s what we need the most to survive as long as possible.”

The commander nodded slowly as he took all of this information in, before giving out a soft smirk to lighten the mood,

“Well, somebody wouldn’t have to tinkle so much if he didn’t drink most of our water yesterday.”

Marth shoved him hard,

“Ike! I’m trying to be serious! We could _die!”_

The darker bluenette chuckled lightly as he tossed the potato in his hands before giving the prince his full attention,

“Alright, alright. First of all, we are _not_ going to die. I will _not_  let that happen, understand? I know I said ‘expect the worst.’ But, I meant it in a way to give ourselves that mindset in order for us to _survive._ However, carbs have the most energy and it’s our best bet to keeping ourselves full for a while. I do prefer the second option, but with this cold weather, we are gonna be better off with the first. The more potato in our systems, the better.”

The prince nodded, silently agreeing with the other’s statement before tucking all the rest of their food away back inside their provisions pack.

Ike smiled kindly at him before leaning over to allow the warmth of the fire to heat up the potato some,

“Alright, let’s just give this guy a few minutes to warm up and dinner will be served, _Your Highness.”_

Marth rolled his eyes in amusement at the other’s mischievousness before he gasped quietly,

“THAT’S IT!”

Jumping in surprise at the other’s sudden excitement, the commander held the almost warm potato protectively against his chest as he looked up at the young royal in complete bewilderment,

“Um...come again?”

The teal-haired swordsman jumped up and down excitedly before pointing frantically at the small fire,

“T-There! That right there! That’s gonna get us out of here!”

Ike gave the overly-joyed boy a look of disbelief,

“Marth. We are locked in by a _BOULDER,_ not a giant thing solely made of ice—.”

“Hush, hush! I _know_ that. But, there still may be a way! Hmm...I...I just gotta concentrate.”

Sitting himself back down next to the mercenary, the younger male crossed his legs as he shut his eyes calmly before breathing in deeply.

The commander just stared at him.

_‘Yep. He has totally lost it.’_

“What...are you _doing?”_

Marth slapped a hand over the mercenary’s mouth as he tried keeping his concentration.

Ike pulled it off before glaring at the other’s weird behavior. He was just about to open his mouth and scold the lighter bluenette once more before the prince spoke up again,

“I have a friend...back home who has worked with fire, wind, and the like before. His name is Merric...and, when we were younger...before the war of shadows started, he used to practice his magic with me for fun. And, well...I somehow had the ability to hold a single flame of fire within my hands.”

Cobalt eyes widening in surprise, the commander almost jumped for joy himself before he realized something,

“Wait. But, mages use tombs Marth. We don’t have one of those.”

But, the teal-haired boy simply shook his head,

“No need. Remember, if you have the capabilities, sometimes those are not necessary. Merric had tossed the flame into my hands, with neither of us needing the use of a tomb.”

Ike nodded quietly before watching Marth cautiously bring his hands up around the small flame,

“Marth...be careful. I don’t need you hurt on top of all of this.”

Said male giggled quietly, opening his eyes to give the mercenary a loving look of amusement before the fire in front of him broke off suddenly, leaving a smaller version of itself floating gently in one of the prince’s gloved hands.

The commander gasped, dumbfounded by what he was witnessing.

The prince smirked at him before planting a kiss on the shocked swordsman’s cheek before whispering into his ear playfully,

“Also, a spark of deep emotion helps get this thing started. So...uh...thanks for that, _handsome.”_

Ike’s face burned bright red to match the flame in front of him as a cheeky Marth stood back up to his feet.

The prince took a deep breath, allowing himself to channel the energy held within his hands before he glared his sapphire eyes towards the offending rock of ice.

“Arch...fire?” He mumbled out lamely.

Suddenly, a loud bark of laughter came up from behind him before Ike fell into another fit of coughs, a wide grin still plastered onto his face.

Marth frowned at him, his cheeks glowing pink in embarrassment.

“You were a total _badass_ for all of _two seconds. Gods_ I love you,” the mercenary choked out before suddenly stilling in his motions at the last part of what he had just said.

He blinked up at the equally flushed prince.

“I-I...I...love you too,” the younger swordsman whispered out softly to the other, forgetting that the older male had just been making fun of him.

Suddenly, the flame in Marth’s hand grew larger.

They both looked at each other in surprise, until the grin from before slowly came back to Ike’s face,

“Say it again.”

The bashful teal-haired royal shook his head, shuffling his feet uncomfortably at this sudden focus on _his_ feelings for the other.

Ike stepped closer to him,

“Come on. I know you want to.”

Marth bit his lip, whimpering quietly when he looked into those playful cobalt eyes that were also surprisingly clouded over with a generous amount of fondness for the young prince.

“I...I love you.”

The flame increased some more.

The mercenary took another step closer as he intertwined both of their hands,

“How much do you love me?”

Cheeks still continuing to flush pink, the royal couldn’t help but sigh with wanton as the glowing flame exemplified the look of lustful love in the older male’s eyes.

“So...so much,” he whispered out.

With another spark, the flame enlarged greatly, causing both bluenettes to lean back in surprise.

But, their hands remained intertwined as Ike gave the other’s a tight squeeze.

“Now, try it,” he whispered into the royal’s ear before pressing a kiss to the other’s cheek.

Marth nodded, returning his grip on the other just as tightly before raising the hand holding the readied flame,

“Arcfire!”

With a forceful throwing of his arm, both the mercenary and prince watched as the red and orange ball of ember crashed hard into the boulder, the ice shattering from it harshly as Ike threw both of them down onto the hard ground for cover.

Then, a mere few seconds passed before the giant rock itself exploded.

Crumbles of debris flew everywhere, but thankfully, the commander had the two of them well shielded off until the commotion ceased.

Slowly, both pairs of azure eyes blinked themselves open before the two swordsmen allowed themselves to separate.

Their mouths gaped open in awe at the sight before them.

A large opening remained in place of the destroyed boulder, the chill breeze of the night hitting them harshly as they continued to stare at it.

“M-Marth...y-you...you did it!” Ike exclaimed with glee before picking up the younger male and spinning him around.

Said boy giggled at the other’s excitement before the mercenary finally put him down.

“Oh my Gods...you really did it,” Ike exasperated quietly, holding a hand to his head in shock.

Gently, Marth pulled that hand into his own before rubbing his thumb across it lightly, leaning upward to give the commander a long, deep kiss.

The darker bluenette gave into it immediately, pulling the young royal closer to him as the two enjoyed the tender moment.

Then, the prince pulled back as he peered his passionate, sapphire orbs into Ike’s own,

“No. _We_ did it.”

* * *

Slicing Galaxia through another bright red, fizzle-eyed enemy, golden orbs then flashed over to their right-hand side in panic,

“Nana, Popo, No! Get back here! Behind me!”

The blue and pink pair of children stuttered in their steps before bouncing back over to Meta Knight.

Before gasping in surprise when another Waddle Doo fell down in front of them.

“Dammit,” the Popstar warrior growled angrily under his breath before slashing through the attacking Dreamland resident from behind.

The two children whimpered quietly as the round, jester-looking creature poofed into thin air before they hurried their way behind the spherical knight.

Meta Knight covered them with his wings before scanning the area around them once more.

They seemed to be in the clear.

For now.

Sighing in agitation, golden eyes looked behind himself worriedly before he unfurled his wings from the two shaking youngsters,

“It’s alright. There appear to be no more Subspace enemies or Dreamland ones at this current moment.”

Popo and Nana nodded in relief before grinning up at the older swordsman for protecting them,

“Thank you, Met Kni!”

Shaking his head in amusement, golden-yellow eyes watched as both boy and girl bounded together high in the air before pulling themselves up onto the final ledge that led to the top of the mountain.

Meta Knight flew up behind them a moment later, Galaxia held ready in hand in case they were to encounter any other monsters.

Landing swiftly onto the new, snow covered surface, the navy puffball glanced up.

He watched solemnly as the Halberd continued to struggle against its fight with that other peculiar, small silver ship, the knight’s beloved aircraft shooting out more large, bright green beams out at it in defense.

The round warrior was still very confused as to why it was here in the first place, and very angry that somebody else had it in their control.

Suddenly, he shifted his eyes downward and to his left when he noticed Nana and Popo staring quietly in front of them, fear seeming to cloud over their eyes.

Meta Knight gave them a questioning look before following their line of sight.

Before his eyes widened, as well.

He forgot all about the canine-like creature that had been occupying this space before them.

A red, glowing eye peered itself open as the blue and black animal grit its teeth at them, its steady-balancing legs pushing itself up off the tip of the mountain before it landed hard on the snow floor in front of the three allies.

The blue and pink youngsters gulped nervously as Meta Knight stepped himself in front of them, eyes glowing red at this apparent new enemy,

“And, who may you be?”

The creature grunted, a look of disapproval showing on its face for being the one under investigation,

“I do not answer questions for those who have disturbed my peace. We fight.”

The Popstar resident growled underneath his mask,

“Ensuing a battle seems quite pointless. We are no threat to you as long as you pose no threat to us. Unless...you take part in the Subspace around us?”

However, the canine-like creature refused to respond as it suddenly formed a large, bright blue mystic ball of energy within its paws.

The grip on Galaxia tightened as Meta Knight stepped a violet boot forward.

Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder boomed from above, startling all four warriors for a short moment.

Then, golden eyes flashed with worry as the Popstar resident glanced downward at the mountain below.

He really hoped the four boys he left behind were doing alright without him. Especially with this newly approaching snow storm.

Turning back around, the navy puffball grit his teeth in frustration when he noticed the other animal-like creature was still holding his stance for battle.

Galaxia glinted brightly along with the flashes of lightening surrounding them as Meta Knight let out a sigh,

“Well then...let us commence.”

* * *

Peeking their heads out of the cave, the two bluenettes decided to take a step forward before realizing most of the ground outside their once locked in hideout was now covered fully in snow.

It was a dark night, however, and it was much later than they had initially thought. The time had definitely surpassed nightfall as the two blue-haired swordsmen continued to watch as gentle snow flurries fell from the sky.

Now, the outside was much colder than the inside of the cave.

Both swordsmen shivered slightly as they continued on, leaving their provisions and swords within the cave for now just to scope out the amount of travel they needed to do until they reached the ground below.

Apparently, to their utter surprise, the Goddesses above must have been with them because out in the distance, among the snow-covered trees, two azure pairs of eyes made out the glow of lights of what appeared to be another small village.

All they had to do was traverse across the mountain pass for another mile or so before descending down one of the steep slopes to get over there.

Just as they had done in the sandy canyon weeks before.

Marth and Ike smiled brightly at one another before hugging each other tightly.

They were going to be just fine.

However, their joyous moment was cut short when another harsh breeze blew right into them, the amount of snow falling from the sky beginning to increase.

“I think it best we allow ourselves one more night in before traveling out tomorrow. I don’t think it’s safe of us to go on a night-long mountain hike right now. Plus...more Primids could be out there. Best we wait till morning,” Ike spoke worriedly, his cobalt eyes chancing a glance up at the darkening sky above before pulling the younger swordsman and himself back inside the cave.

“B-But...what if we get closed in by the snow?” Marth asked, concern filling his voice.

The mercenary shook his head, brushing said flurries from the other’s teal hair,

“Nah, it’s not falling fast or hard enough for that to happen...but, the weather doesn’t seem to be looking so great regardless.”

With that, the Crimean native unceremoniously sneezed harshly into his arm.

“And...Ike, you really do need to see a healer. You are gravely ill.”

Again, the older swordsman scoffed at him as he walked over to the far side of the cave by their fire,

“Am not. You’re just a hypochondriac. Now, come cuddle with me. I’m cold.”

Suddenly, the clouds above gave a soft rumble as snow flurries continued to fall gently to the ground.

Marth glanced up to the sky worriedly as Ike sneezed once more while he warmed his hands against the flames of the glowing ember in front of him.

Concerned sapphire eyes then glanced over at the Crimean native, not liking the sound of the older swordsman’s following coughs and wheezing in the slightest.

But, Ike simply brushed it off by giving the other a warm smile before gesturing the younger male over to him once more.

The Altean sighed, giving in as he started walking over.

Before a sudden crack of thunder boomed loudly from the sky.

The teal-haired warrior yelped in surprise, spinning around fearfully as lightening followed soon after as its streaks traversed across the darkening atmosphere.

Chest tightening, Marth curled his fingers around the chest portion of his cape as he anxiously looked out into the night.

The young royal was never one to fancy storms, ever since he was a small child.

Ike gave the other a questioning look when the lighter bluenette continued to just stand there, staring at the rumbling clouds above,

“Uh...Princess? Everything okay over there?”

The boy didn’t hear him.

Sniffling softly, Ike rubbed his aching chest before getting up and walking over to the shorter swordsman.

He placed a gentle hand on the other’s shoulder just as another boom of thunder crashed in the sky, causing the younger warrior to jump a foot in the air with a scream.

Ike quickly covered Marth’s mouth, not expecting that reaction at all.

And, they could not afford to be caught by any possible lurking enemies.

 _“What are you doing?!”_ Ike hissed furiously in the other’s ear.

But, his anger dissipated immediately when he felt the lighter bluenette trembling harshly against him.

Carefully, the mercenary removed his hand before turning the Altean native around, eyes widening at the other’s seemingly terrified glassy ones,

“Marth...?”

Those sapphire eyes seemed to be lost as they widened further and further, and Ike couldn’t understand what was causing the young prince to fall into such a trance.

However, one crack of thunder later accompanied by a bright flash of lightening gave him his answer.

Marth gasped quietly before ramming himself hard into the commander’s chest, face hidden in the other’s shoulder as the arms around the Crimean’s waist continued to quiver fearfully.

Stumbling back in surprise, Ike brought both his muscular arms around the other as he coughed, the impact really hurting his ailing chest.

But, he tried his best to ignore his current illness to focus on the terrified boy shaking horribly in his arms at the approaching storm,

“Princess...you’re not afraid of a little thunder, are you?”

The younger male chose not to answer, burying his face further into the taller swordsman’s shoulder as more thunder struck above them, his arms locking even tighter around the mercenary’s waist.

“Oof...okay, alright...um...let’s walk back over to the fire, yeah? We’ll be safe and covered from the storm. No need to panic.”

However, Marth refused to let him go.

Ike frowned as he pat the other’s back soothingly before walking backward awkwardly with the young royal in tow.

Pulling the other along, the mercenary carefully guided them around the fire before taking a seat up against the cave wall.

The prince simply fell into his lap, not caring about how uncomfortable his position ended up being.

He just needed a distraction from the raging snow storm outside.

“Hey,” Ike whispered quietly, tugging the other’s strong grip from around his waist as he made the younger boy look at him.

But, those sapphire eyes shut themselves tight when more thunder roared outside, eliciting a fearful whimper from the royal.

“Hey, hey...Marth, it’s okay. It’s just a silly storm. It can’t get you from in here. We’re safe, love.”

Both bluenette’s cheeks burned crimson at the soft pet name, the younger’s eyes snapping open immediately upon hearing it.

Slowly, cobalt and sapphire looked at each other in shock.

Well, Marth found his distraction.

“W-What?” He squeaked out.

Ike gulped, his eyes darting every which way except at Marth’s own as his face colored by the minute,

“U-Uh...I-I mean...uh...”

The younger boy giggled quietly at the other’s bashfulness before jumping at another loud boom of thunder, squeezing his eyes tightly once more as he covered his hands over his ears.

Tears pricked fearfully from the Altean’s eyes as Ike gently placed both his hands over Marth’s own.

The commander pressed a gentle kiss to the other’s bowed head, causing the young royal to blink his eyes open before terrified sapphire glanced up into comforting cobalt.

“It’s alright...I’m right here. And, I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you, okay? I promise,” Ike whispered out soothingly as he watched the other’s lip begin to wobble.

Marth bit on it hard as a tear trailed steadily down his cheek before gasping loudly as he locked his arms tight around Ike’s neck as thunder boomed loudly once more with another flash of lightening.

The darker bluenette allowed it, wrapping his own arms around the other’s trembling body as he rubbed a hand up and down the prince’s back comfortingly,

“Okay...okay. Relax, Princess. Breathe. Can you do that for me?”

The teal-haired swordsman hiccuped lightly before hesitantly giving out a nod.

“Okay. Good. Take in a deep breath.”

Although he lightly hiccuped his way through it, the Altean obliged before frowning as Ike needed a moment to cough harshly into his arm.

“N-Now let it out.”

Marth did as told before sniffling softly, frowning up at the other as his face continued to hold a huge amount of worry for the older male.

Ike mirrored it before rolling his eyes as he rasped out,

“Princess, I’m fine. Quit giving me that look. It’s just a little head cold. How many times must I repeat myself to you, huh?”

The royal whined softly in protest before tucking his face back into the mercenary’s neck when the thunder shook the mountainous cave once more.

The Crimean native continued to rub the prince’s back as he tucked some teal hair behind the other’s ear, trying to get a good look into those fearful sapphire eyes,

“You’ve faced the most evilest of beings, Marth. What’s a little storm like this got over you, huh?”

The younger’s face flushed red in embarrassment before he shrugged his shoulders lightly with a rub to his watery eyes,

“I-I don’t know...I’ve just never liked them...e-even Elice tried getting me to like them one time, but...,” the teal-haired swordsman let out a soft chuckle as memories flew through his mind.

“What?” Ike asked in amusement, happy the other was distracted for the moment.

Bright sapphire eyes peered up at him before Marth’s cheeks tinted pink once more,

“I-It wasn’t the brightest of her ideas...and, well...she seemed to have realized that when I took off running into the castle screaming my head off after she made me sit under one of the stone awnings outside during a storm...to her, she believed I would find beauty in what I saw instead of fear...b-but...obviously a ten-year-old me thought otherwise.”

Ike snorted at that as he tried to hold in his laughter,

“That’s so fucking cute.”

The lighter bluenette shoved at him playfully, a small smile gracing his lips at the older male’s jeering,

“No it’s not!”

“Oh, yes it is.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Ya huh.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Ya huh.”

“Nuh—ahh!”

Ike laughed as the other’s ranting was cut short when more thunder rumbled in the sky, causing the younger to forget their playful quarreling to hide himself back into the commander’s chest.

The older bluenette kissed the other’s teal head sweetly before holding him in his arms tightly,

“You’re still the cutest thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”

The prince’s cheeks burned crimson before he whined loudly,

“IIIIIIIke!”

A deep chuckle came from the commander as he smiled fondly down at the boy keeping a death grip on him,

“Maaaarrrth.”

The young royal giggled at the other’s playfulness, squirming slightly when he felt Ike jab lightly at his sides,

“N-No! No tickles!”

“But, it’s fun!”

The teal-haired swordsman whined loudly before falling into another fit of laughter when the darker bluenette started digging his fingers into his neck and armpits.

Laughing was hard for the Crimean to do with his current sickened state, but he pushed through it as he couldn’t help himself from falling in love with the wriggling male in front of him all over again.

Those scrunchy, humor-filled sapphire eyes were everything and more to the mercenary.

And, if he could do anything to keep the other swordsman from being scared of the current snow storm outside,

Then so be it.

He just has a simple head cold, anyway.

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe it took me 2-3 hours to edit this entire chapter. 
> 
> Lmao, actually I can. This chapter was so looooooooong.
> 
> But, geez, what I can't even imagine is what it's like to be a REAL author 0_0 
> 
> And lmao, I’m too in love with this story that I STILL didn’t finish Chapter 4 of Hamilton Drabbles yet >.< (so sorry for those who have been waiting!) 
> 
> ANYWHO I ALSO LOVED THIS CHAPTER (probably explains why it's so long haha) 
> 
> AND I HOPE YOU CUPCAKES FEEL THE SAME WAY! THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT AS ALWAYS <3333333
> 
> And, to clarify, NO. MARTH DOES NOT HAVE A SECOND CLASS BEYOND HIS SWORD. 
> 
> I mean, if you want me to come up with a theory, Lucina technically can inherit Robin's mage class via FE: Awakening. So, heh, maybe her great great great great (many great's later) grandfather had the same ability SOMEHOW. 
> 
> But, I gave it to him as a nice fun surprise and unique way no one could have ever expected him to get both him and Ike out of the cave! So ha! (don't sue me :D)
> 
> Also, its been storming where I live like CRAZY, and my power officially came back on late tonight. So, can you tell by the end of the chapter I was "inspired" by my hometown weather? *wink *wink 
> 
> (oh dear me I'm too dorky for you guys) 
> 
> BUT ONE MORE CORNY THING: 
> 
> Can ya'll guess who MK is about to fight on the mountain?? ;) 
> 
> Find out next chapter! 
> 
> Cheers, 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheers to my last first day of school being yesterday :D 
> 
> And, scratch last Chapter, because THIS is now the longest one I have written. 
> 
> With that, 
> 
> Enjoy!

Galaxia slashed swiftly along with the flashes of lightening, its movements rapidly jabbing and searing its sharp edges towards its opponent.

However, the fur coated enemy had a ninja-like style about him, dodging each inflicting hit of the round knight, and even having the ability to block such harsh blows, its body glowing blue before disappearing for a short moment.

This would leave Meta Knight confused, unaware for those few seconds of his enemy's whereabouts before the blue and black creature appeared once more, kicking the Popstar resident hard in his mask.

With a grunt, the navy puffball flew back before he planted his purple boots into the ice, skidding slightly until he caught his footing once more.

Grip tightening around Galaxia, Meta Knight flew forward, wings spread wide as he dodged another charged ball of energy that expelled from the other's paws.

With an opening now given to him, the spherical soldier slashed his spiked weapon forward, nicking the canine-like creature badly in its shoulder, causing it to growl angrily in response as it jumped back to recover.

Smirking under his mask, the round knight took that moment to charge forward, wings tucking into himself before he drilled his sword towards his injured opponent.

Red eyes flashed at the incoming weapon, Galaxia spinning madly in his direction before the fur coated enemy hopped up into the air at the last moment, avoiding the other's hit all together.

Meta Knight growled angrily, turning quickly just in time to block the blow of another glowing, azure ball from slamming into him.

Breathing heavily, golden eyes glared furiously over to his equally frustrated adversary, the other's fur standing on end as its chest heaved laboriously before it took a knee, catching its breath while the Popstar resident did the same.

Silence covered over the mountain top for a brief moment, save for the rumbling thunder and continuous sparks of lightening accompanying the four warriors of Subspace.

Nana and Popo stood stock still, glancing back and forth between the two fighters nervously as they together took a hesitant step backward, not wanting to accidentally fall into the altercation themselves.

Another minute passed before red met gold, the blue and black colored creature baring it's teeth at Meta Knight just as the navy puffball himself slashed Galaxia in the air, silently declaring his plan for dominance over the other.

Both growled loudly before violet wings flapped forward aggressively just as the black paws across from them pounded the icy floor hard, charging straight for the round knight.

* * *

He was wrong.

Oh so very wrong.

The moment he woke up, he could tell he was most certainly not okay.

And, the quiet breathing of the younger male sleeping soundly beside him was the only thing that had kept him sane in that moment.

But, it was only a matter of time until the prince woke up to find him struggling to breathe as he clawed desperately at his chest,

"Ike? What are you doing?! You need to keep your shirt _on!_ It's freezing in here!"

The darker bluenette desperately shook his head, his hands continuously pulling hard at his collar as he wheezed loudly, glassy cobalt eyes looking down at Marth pleadingly,

"C-Can't...b...b-breathe..."

The royal blinked at that, sapphire eyes filling with worry and panic as he tried figuring out why the mercenary was suddenly having a difficult time breathing.

"H-Hold on! L-Let me...uh...oh Gods...I-I'm sure I can...u-um...," trying to keep himself from freaking out, the younger male took in a deep breath before looking around their cave, trying to figure out someway to help the other from his terrifying plight.

An idea suddenly popped into the teal-haired swordsman's head as he looked at the burnt out sticks from the previous night's fire.

The lighter bluenette ripped himself out from under his cape before rushing over to the side of the cave to collect more pebbles and sticks in order to create another fire like the commander had shown him how to do the day before.

Sparks flung from the two small, clacking stones in the Altean native's hands, falling into the fresh set of sticks below as a small flame began to form.

Marth grinned proudly for a moment before he jumped up and sprinted out of the cave.

Cobalt eyes squinted open as the mercenary tried desperately to control his erratic breathing, rubbing a hand roughly across his seemingly clogged chest.

He moaned quietly as he watched the shorter bluenette move around before running out of the cave, worried for the prince's safety as the teal-haired boy went out into the open without him.

However, his eyes shined with relief a few minutes later when the royal came back inside unharmed with a couple of weirdly shaped leaves in his hands, causing the older solider to give the younger male a quirked brow.

But, Marth ignored him in favor of digging through their pack of provisions instead, pulling out their healing cream a few seconds later before quickly making his way over to their fire.

The prince carefully held the medicine container over the small flame for about a minute or two, warming its contents before making his way back to the ill swordsman.

Ike tried talking to him so he could question the other's motives, but all that came out was a round of wet coughing that he ended up covering over with his elbow, his eyes squeezed shut as it burned his chest greatly.

Eyebrows bending in anguish, the young royal hushed him quietly as he combed his fingers through the other's spikes of blue hair,

"Shhh...save your energy...I'm gonna try something...and...I pray to Naga it actually works. Just relax for me."

Cobalt eyes looked over the younger softly, the commander doing his best to ease his muscles as Marth first helped the older male open the center of his tunic before he carefully began rubbing the warm healing cream across the Crimean's chest.

The prince hoped the pale substance had a similar ability to the ones in his homeland, where the sticky matter's healing extended far beyond physical injury, aiding to simple immunological illnesses, as well.

After believing he added enough of it to the other's broad chest, the teal-haired swordsman moved on to place the fresh, star-shaped leaves he collected atop the layer of medicine on the taller male's body.

He then lifted one of the obscure, brown plants to the mercenary's lips,

"Open."

Ike gave him a look of uncertainty before shaking his head.

Sapphire eyes turned stern before Marth poked the offending leaf at the other's lips once more,

_"Now."_

The commander was about to verbally protest until he was interrupted by a loud sneeze, causing the ailing swordsman to fall into a harsh fit of coughs and dry heaving once more.

Gasping quietly in surprise, the prince dropped his forgotten leaf in the other's lap while reaching behind the older male to pound at his back lightly before rubbing soothing circles against it,

"Easy Ike...just ride through it. It's okay."

The darker bluenette nodded his head at the other's comfort, appreciating it whole heartedly as his glassy cobalt eyes looked up into concerned sapphire,

"T-Thanks...P-Princess."

Said boy smiled softly at the nickname, happy the other male hasn't lost his sense of humor albeit his horrible ailment.

Then, Marth leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against the mercenary's forehead.

However, he frowned at how much colder it felt compared to yesterday.

"W-What's with t-that...f-face?"

The young royal peered down at the soft question from the other, biting down on his lip worriedly.

Leave it to Ike to still distress over him while the Crimean was the one in trouble.

"U-Um...n-nothing for you to worry over. E-Everything's fine—."

"Y-You're lying."

Sapphire eyes blinked at the commander before the younger bluenette gave his older companion a frown,

"How would you know? You're probably borderline delirious right now with how sick you are."

Ike smiled softly before raising a shaking arm to caress the prince's cheek,

"B-Because...you always s-scrunch up that cute n-nose of yours when...you're t-trying to fib...Now, y-you gonna tell me w-what's wrong or...am I gonna have to t-tickle it out of y-you?"

Marth wanted to laugh at the other's sweet attempt at humor, his cheeks already blushing at the darker bluenette's commentary.

But, with each word that passed through the mercenary's lips, the more energy Ike was losing.

And, they really needed to get a move on before the taller soldier's condition gets any worse.

When the royal still refused to answer him, the older male let himself watch the other's face quietly for a moment, realizing Marth was thinking hard about something.

Then, he looked down to see the star-shaped leaf the other tried feeding him earlier resting innocently on his lap.

The mercenary's gloved hand picked it up gently.

"H-Hey," he whispered out to the distracted prince, twirling the leaf playfully in his hand as he did so.

Sapphire eyes glanced down at him once more before the teal-haired swordsman gasped quietly, completely forgetting about his earlier task to relieve the other's discomfort,

"Oh! I need you to eat that, please."

Cobalt eyes flashed with puzzlement towards the Altean native as he hesitantly brought the brown plant to his lips,

"What is it?"

Marth smiled softly as he pet the commander's hair fondly,

"It's an Anise...a type of flowering plant well known for its uses in treating stomach aches, inflammation, infection, and, in some cases...asthma. I'm not saying you have any of those things, but...when I was little and had a cold or when I, myself, would struggle with my asthmatic allergies, Elice would always pick these from our garden and give them to me to eat. She would also lay them on my chest with heated medicine cream...It used to work like a charm and saved us money from having to see a real clinician...So...I was hoping maybe it may work for you...but, Ike...you actually _need_ to see a medical professional. This is just a temporary fix for your ill state until we seek one from that village past these mountains."

The mercenary gave a soft scoff of fake annoyance, still trying to believe himself to be perfectly fine for the other's sake, before smirking fondly at the younger male's story.

Ike truly admired the prince's hard work in trying to heal him on his own with the little amount of resources that they had.

So, with that, the darker bluenette popped the star-shaped leaf into his mouth, the loving smile for the shorter swordsman remaining on his face for all of two seconds before he grimaced at the nasty flavor of the plant,

"Ugh...if I d-didn't know any better...I-I'd think you were t-trying to kill me...Gods, that tasted h-horrendous."

Now, that was something Marth let himself laugh at before kissing the mercenary's cheek sweetly,

"Good boy. Thank you."

The Crimean native shook his head in amusement before watching fondly as his younger companion tucked himself into the commander's side.

"Let's give your body a few minutes to react to the leaves and medicine before closing your shirt back up. Hopefully, it works quickly," the teal-haired soldier commented softly.

The mercenary smiled lightly before looping a shaky arm around the other, pressing a gentle kiss to the prince's teal hair as he watched the shorter male fiddle with his own tunic nervously.

"I-I'm okay."

Sapphire eyes looked up into glassy, yet reassuring cobalt orbs, which created a small smile out of the lighter bluenette,

"I...I know...b-but...I wanna get you somewhere safe and healed. I cannot stand to see you like this, Ike....Even _you_ know you're getting worse...and...trying to reassure me is sweet, but...it will not make you better any faster."

Ike frowned before nodding silently, knowing the younger swordsman was right.

The two cuddled for another few minutes before the Crimean native's shivering began to escalate.

Marth reached for the commander as he carefully removed the leaves from the other's chest before putting them in their provisions pack for safekeeping,

"How are you feeling?"

The darker bluenette sniffled softly before taking in as deep a breath as he could without coughing.

Surprisingly, he was able to hold it for a few seconds before exhaling, giving his worried comrade a small, proud grin,

"D-Definitely better than before...wow...big sis' had herself a pretty good apprentice, huh?"

Marth blushed before giving the older male a shy smile as he nodded in agreement.

Then, the teal-haired swordsman abruptly turned around and walked away from the sick soldier.

Ike watched on with curiosity, slowly reattaching the center of his tunic while the lighter bluenette went over to his previously made fire before stomping it out with his boots. Then, the prince shut closed their bag of supplies and remaining food before making his way back over to the confused commander as he reached his hand out to him,

"Come on. It’s time we get out of here."

* * *

A bent and beat up silver mask lay abandoned on the snow covered ground beside a deranged pattern of large paw prints.

The owners of each still going at their long-term quarrel just a few feet off to the side.

For a fight that was supposed to last a mere few minutes ended up lasting the entire night and into the early morning.

Meta Knight groaned quietly, rubbing a gloved hand across his exposed face as his golden-yellow eyes peered tiredly up at the canine look-a-like.

The Popstar resident was as exhausted as the other appeared.

Blue and black fur continued to stand up on end while the creature's ears twitched pathetically, its knees shaking from fatigue as it continued to glare its red eyes angrily at the round warrior.

However, the fierceness in them did seem to dwindle as the animal quietly watched the spherical solider limp a step towards him.

Taking in a deep breath, Meta Knight shut his eyes for a moment, channeling the remaining energy he had left to finally defeat this blasted adversary once and for all.

And, to hopefully get some answers in regards to its presence and any knowledge as to why his ship was still continuing to fight off the smaller one above them.

The Halberd and the enemy ship losing pieces of themselves throughout the night while the airborne battle between them continued on.

Suddenly, a warping noise was heard as the navy puffball once more focused his attention on his opponent, watching steadily as his attacker formed one final blue ball of light between its paws, in the hopes it would end the Popstar Warrior's own inflicting approaches towards it.

Clenching his teeth together, Meta Knight growled lowly as he held Galaxia tight within his grasp, spreading his wings wide in preparation.

Then, the blue and black creature released its pent up, glowing azure ball of ember.

The spherical light of energy traveling like a bullet towards the awaiting knight.

Jumping swiftly into the air to avoid it, the round soldier then flapped his wings forward, using the remainder of his own energy to shoot himself straight for the canine-like enemy before slashing his spiked sword right across its chest.

The ninja of an animal let out a yelp before falling backward onto the icy surface, it's teeth baring in defeat at its inability to recover and stand back up.

Violet boots landed quietly on the snowy floor as the Popstar resident let out a huff, golden-yellow eyes glinting with victory before Meta Knight made his way over to his fallen adversary,

"I believe we have come to a truce."

Red eyes glanced up at him, the canine-like creature frowning deeply before he hesitantly allowed the round warrior to pull him to his feet.

Clearing his throat, the fur coated fighter looked over the navy puffball warily as Nana and Popo came over with the latter's scathed mask.

The knight frowned as he glanced down at his beloved head gear that was handed over to him before quietly fixing it in its rightful place.

Then, the taller warrior extended a paw out to the spherical soldier,

"Lucario."

Golden eyes looked up at the other in confusion before realizing his newly formed ally was introducing himself.

Nodding in understanding, the round fighter took the animal's offered paw with a white gloved hand,

"Meta Knight."

A peaceful silence covered the atmosphere as the two warriors came to an official alliance.

Suddenly, the dark maroon clouds in the sky above split open, a loud roar eliciting from them as the Halberd was seen crashing down right towards all four of the Subspace fighters.

Meta Knight gasped quietly, shock and horror filling him as he flew out of the way while reaching for Nana and Popo to get the two terrified children out of harm's way.

However, a body slammed into him just as Popo's gloved hand was about to slip into the knight's own.

Shouting out in surprise, golden eyes flashed red in anger as the knight turned to see what had stopped him, before they flashed immediately to white in shock when the Popstar resident realized that what had stopped him, had intentionally saved him.

He looked over to find that the front of the Halberd had fallen right where Meta Knight had flown to reach the two youngsters.

Then, he blinked up to _who_ had saved him.

Bright blue eyes accompanied by a mess of blonde hair shined down at the other with fear and concern as their owner climbed off of the bewildered knight.

"L-Lucas?"

The older male was so relieved to see the child he had left behind was okay, his eyes reverting back to their normal golden color as the spherical soldier then looked up to find Red standing beside Lucario, the boy appearing happy to be reacquainted with another Pokémon.

However, seeing the two children made him snap back to reality as he flapped his wings over to the edge of the mountain,

"Wait! Nana and Popo! They're—."

"Right here."

Worried golden eyes flashed behind him, the navy puffball spinning fully around when he saw the pink and blue duo were being held tightly in the vines of an obscure looking creature.

But, thankfully unharmed.

Meta Knight gave out a sigh of relief before turning to the one person who could properly explain to him as to _what_ that was and how it managed to save the two children he failed to do himself.

Red chuckled lightly at the other's clearly confused look, the Popstar resident's mask doing a poor job at hiding his emotions at the moment,

"This is Ivysaur...Lucas and I were just making our way up the final slope to this peak when we saw your ship go down...we were so worried when we saw you reach for Nana and Popo, right where your ship was about to crash, that Lucas used his...um...psychic powers to shoot himself up to save you while Ivysaur did the rest to catch these two and bring them to safety."

It took a moment for the round swordsman to take in what had just happened before his eyes turned a rare color of blue, pride shining through them at the two youngsters that had saved all three of their lives.

And, he couldn't find another way of showing his gratitude than walking up to both Red and Lucas and gently placing a gloved hand on each of their arms,

"Thank you...you two really are full of surprises."

Suddenly, that one sentence caused the knight to freeze in his motions.

If these two were here.

Then,

Where was Ike and Marth?

And with that, all of Meta Knight's current happiness was stripped from him immediately as he glanced up at the two boys, his eyes once again golden-yellow as they filled with a great amount of worry.

The two children seemed to know what he was asking without the Popstar warrior needing to elaborate.

"W-We got separated from them...all four of us were supposed to meet you...b-but...the avalanche...," Lucas began before nibbling at his lip worriedly as he looked up to Red.

The older boy rested a gentle hand on the blonde's shoulder before continuing for him,

"I am sure they're alright...but...unfortunately, we never managed to cross paths with them. We were hoping they were already up here with you—."

"Find them."

The two boys blinked at that,

"What?"

A swirl of emotions was going through Meta Knight as he suddenly realized the danger of their situation.

How did two mere children make it all they way up here, but not two able swordsmen?

Something wasn't right.

Golden eyes flashed worriedly down the mountain range, before Meta Knight looked back over to the confused youngsters desperately,

"I-I...I must take control of my ship...But...please, I need you two to find them. They cannot be fine if they were not here already. Take Nana and Popo with you...And, again, I ask you. Find them. _Now."_

Red and Lucas nodded simultaneously, both their faces set in determination as they beckoned the two children along before they turned towards the direction in which they came.

However, the older boy stopped in his tracks before turning back around,

"W-What about you? Will you be alright continuing on your own—?"

"I will accompany him."

Golden orbs looked up to meet soft red eyes as Lucario rested a gentle paw atop one of the anxious knight's wings.

Meta Knight nodded gratefully up at the Pokémon before turning one last time towards the two boys.

Red gave him a warm, reassuring smile,

"We will find them, Meta Knight."

Lucas nodded in affirmation,

"We promise."

* * *

"Eat it."

Ike pushed the prince's hand away,

"No. W-We promised to _share_ it and s-save it for _dinner."_

"You need it more than I do. And, you need it _now.”_

"Marth. I. Said. No."

"And, I said I don't care. Now, eat it."

The mercenary growled as he grabbed for the uneaten potato they were arguing over before throwing it at the Altean's head.

"Ow! Ike! Quit being so stubborn and _eat the damn thing!"_

Picking the fallen food item off the ground, Marth brushed it off before stomping back over to the stubborn swordsman and shoving the potato in the other's face.

Ike frowned before turning his head away.

He wasn't going to leave the royal to eat the remaining scraps of food they had while allowing the commander to have all the good portions.

It wasn't right.

The prince needed energy too if they wanted to both keep pushing forward and continue on their journey.

Unfortunately, the Crimean's chest began acting up again, forcing the two bluenettes to stop their hike in order for Ike to recover and catch his bearings.

Marth had given him more of those disgusting brown leaves to eat, but sadly, they weren't being as useful as the younger boy had hoped.

Continuing to ignore the prince for the moment, cobalt eyes drilled themselves angrily into the ground.

The mercenary was all kinds of pissed off right now.

He couldn't do shit.

He could barely walk.

Hell, standing alone was an arduous task in itself.

His chest ached like no tomorrow.

His breathing being enough trouble as it is, their current altitude was not helping in the slightest.

There was no way the two of them were going to make it down the mountain slope in a day's time at this rate.

And, with danger possibly lurking about, there was also no way for him to protect Marth.

Suddenly, Ike felt a soft hand cup his face gently before he looked up to find compassionate sapphire eyes peering down at him,

"Hey...we are going to be just fine. You gotta stop with that pouty look...I know our situation really sucks right now...but, it would be a whole lot worse if we were still stuck inside that cave."

The mercenary then felt a soft thumb wipe a tear trailing down his cheek.

The darker bluenette not even realizing how teary eyed he had become over his upsetting thoughts.

He sniffled softly, pressing a kiss to the small hand holding his face,

"Y-You're right...as a-always, Princess."

Marth giggled softly, wiping away another tear from the commander's cold cheek before pulling the other's face towards his own, enticing the taller swordsman into a passionate kiss.

"I love you," the prince whispered softly after pulling away.

Ike smirked at him, rubbing at his watery eyes as he stood back up to his feet,

"I love you more."

The younger male smiled fondly up at the other before turning his body to reach inside their pack of provisions.

A moment later, he pulled out his wooly blue shawl before once more wrapping it tightly around the mercenary's neck and shoulders.

Then, he gently nudged the forgotten potato towards the Crimean native.

Ike sighed, looking into those wide, pleading sapphire eyes,

"N-Not unless you take some f-for yourself."

Marth looked down, biting his lip worriedly before the potato was suddenly taken from his hands.

He looked up in time to watch as the commander ripped it open, reluctantly giving the prince the smaller piece,

"I'll eat t-this for your sake...B-But, please finish the rest f-for me."

The young royal frowned before doing as told while making sure the older swordsman ate his whole piece, as well.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Ike quickly finished off his short meal before playfully putting his full mouth of food in Marth's face.

The prince laughed loudly before shoving the taller warrior away from him,

"Oh gross! I get it, Ike! _I get it!"_

Swallowing down the rest of his meal, the mercenary smirked fondly at the other before he stilled suddenly.

His chuckling tapering off, Marth looked up at the other in confusion before he heard a soft rustle from behind them.

Sapphire eyes turned in time to see a Primid pop itself out from behind a bush before it was accompanied by about twenty others, one of which charged forward as it kicked Ike hard in the back.

The prince gasped in surprise as the older male fell forward onto the icy floor, the other groaning quietly as the wind was knocked out of him, his unfortunate weak state not allowing him to recover as quickly as he used to.

Slowly, the Altean turned back around to face the attacking enemy, growling lowly as he unsheathed Falchion from its scabbard before slashing through the plush, green adversary hard.

With that, an uproar elicited from the rest of them as they all charged towards the teal-haired swordsman, the boy baring his teeth in full blown anger as he stood his ground in front of the fallen commander.

Racking coughs escaped from the darker bluenette as he was left with no choice but to push himself up against the mountain wall, heaving heavily as his cobalt eyes barely registered the prince slicing and dicing through all of their enemies with all of his might.

Frowning softly, Ike reached for Ragnell only to realize his own grip on the golden blade was far too weak.

He grit his teeth in annoyance, hating the fact that the younger swordsman was fighting the battle all on his own.

Suddenly, a blur of green jumped in the ailing mercenary's direction before another blur of blue rammed itself in between them.

Blinking rapidly, Ike's vision cleared up to find those large, sapphire eyes staring at him worriedly while the prince held Falchion behind his head, the sword pressing hard against the Primid that was trying to attack the commander.

The older bluenette's brows bent in concern as he saw the Altean's arms beginning to shake under the pressure, the boy's lack of upper body strength giving him the disadvantage in the fight.

But, the royal refused to give up as he shielded Ike's entire body with his own.

The younger's eyes were squeezed tight, tears of mounting frustration and pain pricking at them as he grit his teeth in anger, working with all of his might to protect the man he loved.

Suddenly, they snapped open.

The commander was immediately taken back by the sudden fire that seared through those bright, sapphire orbs.

Marth looked at him momentarily before his brows drew in infuriation as he screamed loudly,

_"Aaaaarrgghh!"_

With a forceful push behind him, the prince threw off the multiple monsters of Subspace that had been trying to force themselves onto the ill commander, before the Altean native sliced his silver blade through all of them in pure outrage.

He shouted and growled like an animal before he ran through every single zombie-like creature until all of them were turned to purple sludge.

Breathing heavily, Marth looked around, sapphire eyes still glinting with a rage of fury before he made his way over to Ike.

Without getting a say in, the next thing the mercenary knew was the younger male pulling the other's more built body atop his own thin shoulder before looping Ike's muscular arm around his neck, where he then proceeded to walk the two of them together.

The prince was determined.

He, too, was angry with their situation.

And, he wanted nothing more than to get Ike out of the mountains as soon as possible.

The commander peered down at the other fondly, smirking softly at the realization that the younger male had saved his life once again,

"Hey...I-I'm proud of you...t-took down a whole f-freakin' army of those b-bastards all by yourself...hot fucking damn."

Marth only gave a huff at that, too into his continuous anger to respond.

Ike noticed.

"W-What took ya so long t-to _unleash the beast,_ P-Princess?"

The prince grit his teeth,

"Things get a little more heated when the situation at hand becomes _personal."_

The Crimean blinked at that for a moment before realizing the lighter bluenette was talking about him.

Now, he understood the other's sudden anger.

Marth's love for him is what had pushed the younger male to devastatingly slaughter each and every one of those Primids.

Cobalt eyes shined passionately down at the frustrated royal.

The mercenary didn't know whether to squeeze the other tight, make mad love to him, or break down in disgusting, snotty tears.

Gods...Ike couldn't believe how lucky he was to find a man such as the pouting prince below him.

Suddenly, the other let out a quiet gasp, his sapphire eyes widening at what he was seeing in front of them.

His passionate thoughts for the other halting for a moment, the commander blinked up to see what caused the shorter male to stop in his tracks,

“My...w-would you look at that."

Marth blinked up at him, the silent anger from before finally fading from his eyes as it was replaced with a fresh set of joyful, unshed tears full of relief,

"W-We made it...Ike...we...we finally made it!"

The commander grinned widely at him, the two sharing a moment of pure happiness as the village they had been targeting was just in their sights, a simple ways down the mountain slope sitting directly below them.

All they had to do was slide down.

And, then they were safe.

Ike was about respond back to the other when his chest suddenly tightened, his breath catching in his throat before he stumbled out of the prince's arms.

"Ike?!"

The older male was about to tell the other he was fine, that he just needed a moment to recuperate.

Before he suddenly choked.

No oxygen was getting to him.

Just like earlier this morning, the Crimean started clawing at his throat and shirt once again as he lost his footing to the snow covered ground.

However, Marth jumped behind him in time to cushion his fall before pulling the mercenary up into his lap, his hands shaking in panic,

"I-Ike?! Talk to me!"

The darker bluenette just shook his head, his cobalt eyes clouding over in fear as he tried gulping in as much air as he could.

His chest was clogged and heavy, as if the weight equivalent to that of an elephant was sitting on top of it.

But, he couldn't explain that to the terrified royal above him.

So, with a shaky, desperate hand, Ike pointed to the pack of provisions behind Marth's back.

Understanding immediately, the teal-haired swordsman ripped the item off of himself before digging through it.

Before gasping quietly.

They had no more Anises left.

"No no no no no no...," the prince whimpered quietly to himself before his watery sapphire eyes looked around them desperately.

But, from their current location, they were a long ways away from any more shrubs that held the healing flowering plants.

The trembling Altean hiccuped quietly before biting down on his lip hard.

They were right there!

They can make it to the village.

They had to!

He just needed—

Suddenly, a frigid hand touched the younger male's cheek as a silent tear fell from it,

"L-Look at me."

Sapphire eyes glanced down at the ailing swordsman, brows drawing in concern when the Altean noticed the other's lips were turning an uncomfortable light shade of blue.

Ike gulped lightly, his rasping breathing coming in short as his eyes shined up at the other,

"I-It's okay..."

Marth shook his head, choking on a sob as he held the commander's cold face in his hands,

"N-No...Ike...w-we can make it! We're _right_ here! P-Please...d-don't start saying things like that. Y-You're gonna be fine. I _promise—!"_

"Princess...l-listen to me..."

The boy refused to do so, tears steadily trailing from his eyes as he tried pulling Ike back up.

But, the mercenary wouldn't budge, and the cold was making the prince himself too weak to pick him up again.

Ike's brows bent in anguish as the other continued struggling to lift him,

"Marth. Stop."

The boy wailed loudly when the commander used the remainder of his strength to push the other's trembling arms off of him.

Before the older soldier took a shaky hand of his own and caressed the mewling royal's cheek fondly once more,

"Shhh...I-I need you to r-relax for me, love...c-can you do that?"

The prince hiccuped harshly before hesitantly nodding his head, trying to calm himself down for the other.

He was just so scared of losing Ike in this moment.

They were _so close._

Why couldn't the older swordsman just let him pull the two of them to safety?

However, the mercenary simply smiled up at the upset bluenette, brushing the other's tears gently with his thumb before softly hushing him once more,

"Good boy...N-Now...go get h-help."

Marth's eyes bugged out of his head before he shook it harshly, crying harder as he held the larger hand caressing his face,

"I-I can't l-leave you...!"

"Y-Yes...you can...a-and you will...Y-You cannot c-carry the both of us."

The prince wiped at his continuously watering sapphire eyes as he looked down at the ill swordsman,

"Y-Yes I can...!"

The mercenary chuckled quietly at the younger's childlike optimism, shaking his head in the negative as a round of wet coughing escaped him before he struggled to breathe once more.

"Ike!" Marth cried.

The Crimean native pressed a gentle finger to the other's lips before reaching up to comb those messy teal bangs away from the other's heart-broken, sapphire eyes, a tear steadily trailing down his own cheek,

"I love you..."

Then, the mercenary's hand dropped.

Before everything went black.

_"IKE!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha. 
> 
> I lied. 
> 
> This chapter was far from enjoyable. 
> 
> (I started sobbing the moment I typed Ike's line: “L-Look at me.” OKAY) 
> 
> But I still LOVED it all the same. 
> 
> And, I randomly made Lucas' eyes blue because I wasn't going to say "black eyes stared down at Meta Knight," because that's just creepy af XD 
> 
> NOW, I await the comments from you amazing humans (because I truly look forward to reading ALL OF THEM every chapter...and now more so with how I ended this one T_T) 
> 
> THANK ALL OF YOU FOR READING AND WHO HAVE REMAINED ON THIS WILD JOURNEY THUS FAR. YA’LL ARE THE BEST <3333 
> 
> P.S. If any of you humans wanna be FE Heroes buddies or Smash Ultimate buddies, comment your codes below with a hello :D 
> 
> (Unless you totally hate me now with this terrible cliff hanger XD) 
> 
> Until next update! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1000+ READS 
> 
> 70+ KUDOS 
> 
> 100+ COMMENTS 
> 
> AND TWO UPDATES??!! (surprise! <33) 
> 
> I <3 all of you 
> 
> **warning: MAJOR ANGST AND FLUFF AHEAD (this extends to both chapters) 
> 
> Enjooyyyyyy <333

_Gods._

Blaring.

Bright white light.

That was all he could see.

Moaning quietly, cobalt eyes struggled to peel themselves open due to the obnoxious lamp dangling above him.

Blinking his eyes to the best of their ability, the bluenette turned his head to the side, avoiding the glaring beam of light as he instead shifted his view towards the wooden door on the other side of the unfamiliar room he appeared to be in.

The mercenary shifted his weight uncomfortably, his chest aching something fierce before he noticed that he was also laying on something incredibly soft.

Looking down, confused cobalt orbs found the Crimean himself to be tucked securely inside a white, freshly cleaned bed as he glanced over to his right.

In which he then noticed an intravenous tube not so subtly sticking out of his hand.

Gasping quietly, the commander's brows drew in concern before trying to reach for the offending item he preferred _not_ to have in his extremity.

However, in his haste to do so, he found his other hand being held down by something else.

Turning his head in surprise, the mercenary was about to growl out in frustration at the thought of being held down against his will.

But, then he stopped himself.

Before his cobalt eyes slowly softened.

They followed down his arm and to the culprit entrapping his left hand.

The darker bluenette held his breath, watching as the person tucked into his bedside breathed in and out slowly, each puff of air pushing the teal bangs away from the other's sleeping face.

The prince's cheek was resting against his arm, the thin fingers enclosed around the mercenary's hand twitching lightly as Marth mumbled softly in his sleep.

And, as peaceful as the younger warrior seemed, Ike's face slowly morphed into a frown after a few moments of watching the royal, noticing the brutally present dark circles under the other's eyes.

The commander sat there quietly as he began rubbing a gentle thumb across the teal-haired swordsman's hand within his own, nibbling at his lip softly in thought,

_'What the hell happened?'_

However, the younger male must not have been in deep a sleep as the darker bluenette had thought, because the moment his thumb brushed lightly against the other's hand, the prince shot up in his seat with a gasp.

Wide sapphire eyes blinked rapidly before a hand came up to rub tiredly at them.

The mercenary kept quiet while he let the shorter soldier catch his bearings.

Before he realized the Altean was not dressed in his usual princely attire and armor, the only remaining piece of the other's battle uniform being the boy's signature gold circlet atop his head.

Adorned in a soft, white cotton shirt and light periwinkle trousers, the young royal whimpered quietly, silently questioning as to what had awoken him before his sleepy vision finally cleared.

Then, sapphire met cobalt.

Marth gasped, covering a hand over his mouth as he stood up immediately, stumbling a bit as the chair that had been under his bum skidded backward before falling hard to the floor.

But, the prince hardly flinched as he continued to stare at Ike.

The mercenary's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting the other to react in such a way.

The boy was looking at him as if he were seeing a ghost.

Ike was so confused.

But, before he could say anything, the teal-haired royal hesitantly stepped over to him, his sock-clad feet shuffling slowly on the cleanly polished wood floor.

The commander stayed incredibly still, his face filling with a deep amount of concern as he watched the other.

The boy's tiara was failing to do his extremely messy bed head justice, teal strands of hair sticking every which way as the younger soldier leaned over the commander, his bright, sapphire eyes looking over Ike's whole upper body and face before they rested once more on the mercenary's cobalt orbs,

"I-Ike...?"

Said male's brows bent in anguish at the prince's soft, raspy voice, watching heartbrokenly as Marth's eyes suddenly brimmed with unshed tears, his sorrowful gaze remaining entirely fixed on the mercenary.

The older swordsman carefully lifted his now free left hand up to caress the teal-haired boy's quivering cheek,

"Hey Princess."

Gasping quietly, the Altean immediately grabbed hold of the other's warm hand, hiccuping softly as his watery sapphire eyes never wavered from the commander,

"Y-You're awake..."

Ike blinked at that before frowning.

However, the mercenary had no time to process what the other meant before he suddenly had his arms full of an upset prince as the boy fell on top of him,

"Oof!"

The Crimean grunted quietly in surprise, his sore chest screaming in protest as the older swordsman took on the entire weight of the royal before he slowly brought his muscular arms around the trembling boy.

"Okay...," Ike whispered softly, so lost on what the younger warrior seemed to be so upset about.

But, he took it in stride as he cupped his hand comfortingly against the prince's messy teal head, careful of the other's head piece as he felt the shorter male struggling to keep back a sob.

The Crimean native hushed him quietly, pressing a soft kiss to the lighter bluenette's cheek as he rubbed a soothing hand up and down the boy's quivering back.

The simple intimacy broke the Altean.

Ike shut his eyes tightly when the other finally gave into his tears, a loud racking of sobs tumbling past the prince's lips as he tightened his arms around the older male's neck.

Tears pricked from the mercenary's own eyes, the darker bluenette unable to bear the great amount of pain he could feel radiating from the younger swordsman.

But, he was still so incredibly perplexed.

What did Marth mean by him finally being awake?

He remembered passing out in the mountains.

But, that was it.

Ike gulped.

How long had he been...out for?

Suddenly, the door to the room opened, presenting a sweet looking blonde woman at the threshold.

However, she gasped quietly as she took in their positioning before peeking her head out of the doorway to call out to someone,

"I found him! He's in here with Ike again!"

Said boy listened as another woman called back,

"Dammit. Kid is so damn sneaky."

But, the blonde simply chuckled before stepping into the room, shutting the door quietly behind her as she carefully walked over to the bed,

"Marth...sweetheart...we told you. You cannot lay in bed with him...Ike is still recovering from his pneumonia and we cannot risk you possibly crushing his healing chest and lungs..."

Then, the young woman came over to try and gently pry the weeping boy off of the mercenary, clearly not taking notice that the older male was fully awake and coherent.

The prince whined loudly at the jostling, shaking his head angrily as his grip only grew that much stronger around the darker bluenette.

Cobalt eyes watched silently as the woman walked over to Marth's side, bending forward slightly as she tried to get a good look at the Altean native before she gently combed a delicate hand through his terribly messy teal locks of hair,

"Baby...I know you're worried about him, but he's okay. You saved him. It's alright...now, I need you to let go and head back to your own—."

"It's okay...I-I'm used to this."

Removing her hand from the stubborn prince, hazel eyes slowly looked up before they widened in shock as a clipboard was heard clattering to the ground upon hearing the commander's voice,

"Oh...Oh my goodness...Ike! Y-You're awake! L-Let me go get the doctor!"

Said swordsman watched in total and complete bafflement as the nurse retreated hurriedly out of the hospital room.

Then, he turned his attention back to the lighter bluenette hiccuping quietly into his neck, Marth's tight hold around him unyielding.

But, the mercenary said nothing as he continued to hold the distraught boy securely in his arms.

And again, Ike asked himself,

_'What._

_The hell._

_Happened?'_

* * *

One pair of footsteps pattered quickly and quietly across the dull grey, metallic floor while a pair of wings flapped swiftly beside them, just as silent.

"We should be at the control room momentarily...thank the stars we were able to climb aboard unnoticed," a deep voice commented softly as the two fierce warriors continued throughout the dimly lit halls of the Halberd.

A firm nod was the only response from the other's fur coated companion before the duo came to a slow stop when they heard a sudden bang from within the walls.

The round knight grit his teeth, golden eyes flashing red at the thought of his already beaten aircraft becoming even more damaged than it already was.

Before a black paw obscured his view,

"Calm yourself, Meta Knight...your anger will do us no justice if we are to plan our stealth accordingly."

The navy puffball grumbled quietly at that, allowing himself to relax as his eyes reverted back to their usual coloring before he silently looked around.

He sighed softly, his thoughts suddenly overcome once more by the two younger swordsmen who were still lost in the mountains.

The moment Meta Knight took control of his ship, he was taking the reins and landing the damn thing as soon as possible.

The quicker he got this over with, the quicker he would be reunited with Ike and Marth.

The knight even prayed to the bluenettes' own Gods that the two were somewhere safe, at least.

And, that Red and Lucas will find them in time.

"Your friends will be alright."

Golden orbs blinked up into calm red ones, Lucario understanding the grievous look in the Popstar Warrior's eyes before he turned his head towards the obnoxious banging once more.

The canine-like creature's eyes glinted bright gold before he shut them slowly, his aura allowing an x-ray like vision to shine through them as the Pokémon was then able to detect another spherical body trying to ram itself through the iron wall.

Opening them up once more, Lucario's eyes returned to their natural shade of ruby before he looked down towards the round swordsman's curious gaze.

"What do you see?" The navy puffball questioned quietly, grip tightening around Galaxia as he prepared for a possible fight.

The blue and black colored warrior was about to have the other lay down his weapon before a loud crash came from behind them.

The two fighters spun around, both immediately taking a defensive stance as a Waddle Doo tumbled through the broken metal wall panel it just busted its entire body through.

Its cycloptic eye sparkling lazily as it slowly turned its gaze towards the knight and Pokémon.

"Now, may we fight?" Meta Knight growled to Lucario in annoyance, stepping a boot forward as he sliced his spiked sword in the air at the ready.

The taller, fur coated soldier nodded, both of his paws glowing blue with a burning, bright ember forming in between them,

"We must."

* * *

"I can have him removed, if you'd like."

"Nah, it's alright. He looks like he could use the sleep anyway."

The older gentleman in the room chuckled fondly at his two patients, adjusting his white coat gently as he watched the older boy continue to rub a hand up and down the now sleeping royal's back.

The prince's entire body still sprawled out on top of Ike's own.

Smiling kindly, the silver-haired man pushed up his glasses, his jade eyes scanning over his clipboard quietly before he let out a soft sigh,

"To be honest with you...I'm pretty sure this has been the most sleep he's gotten since you both arrived here."

Ike's brows drew in concern, not liking that news in the slightest.

However, one other thing still remained on the commander's mind ever since he woke up to the crying prince,

"H-How...um...how long have I been—?"

"In a coma?"

Cobalt eyes widened to the size of saucers, shock filling the older swordsman as he unconsciously pulled the dozing Altean tighter into his chest before quietly stuttering out,

_"...C-Coma?!"_

Gently placing his clipboard on the edge of the bed, the clinician carefully tucked his reading glasses back into his coat pocket before taking a seat on Ike's free side of the bed, placing a calm hand on the anxious boy's shoulder as he did so,

"Relax...it is not in the way you may think. There are various forms of comas the human body can fall under...In your case, due to the extreme cold causing your acute hypothermia, your body went into shock before forcing itself into a natural coma as a defense mechanism...this is a common occurrence when the human body is under such extreme levels of stress."

Ike gulped, feeling dizzy and nauseous at this sudden and shocking information.

He held a trembling hand to his head before his glassy eyes looked up to the physician worriedly,

"S-So...uh...h-how long...?"

The older man gave the darker bluenette a look of sympathy, noticing the younger male's paling face before dropping his hand from the other,

"A week."

The mercenary brought his own hand down to his chest, gripping his shirt tightly before breathing heavily,

"I...I think I'm gonna be sick."

Quickly, the doctor reached for the closest thing he could find, grabbing the clean bedpan resting on the nightstand beside the bed before holding it out to the the Crimean worriedly.

Ike gratefully took it, continuing to breathe raggedly as he stared down into the metallic bowl before swallowing thickly.

This was all too much for him to take in.

He needed to calm down.

Suddenly, a light snuffle and puff of air tickled the commander's neck, causing him to peer down at the prince still sound asleep in his arms.

Marth whimpered quietly as he shifted subtly, seeming to feel Ike's distress, even whilst in sleep.

Feeling the younger male against him, however, helped the taller swordsman relax as he shakily pushed the unused bedpan to the side.

He took in a deep breath.

Before placing a gentle kiss to the teal head resting against his chin.

For the prince's comfort or for his own, he did not know.

Nor care.

They were both safe.

And, that was all that mattered.

A quiet clearing of someone's throat brought the mercenary back into focus before his watery cobalt eyes looked up into the doctor's soft emerald ones,

"I know how scary this all may seem...and, waking up after a week of not just a simple state of sleep, but a deep period of unconsciousness is no easy task...and, your chest and lungs are still recovering from your bronchopneumonia, as well."

Ike quirked a brow at that latter term before sniffling softly as he wiped a tear trailing down his cheek.

The physician smiled softly, standing up quietly as he plucked a tissue from the provided tissue box that was too resting on the night stand before handing it gently over to the upset bluenette.

Ike took it kindly before he listened as the other continued on to elaborate more on the diagnosis of his young patient,

"Bronchopneumonia is a form of pneumonia that involves both pairs of lungs becoming inflamed. Your chest x-rays clearly showed that, along with your blood test results coming up positive for the bacterial infection I assumed had also been involved in your ailment...But, I wouldn't fret too much over the latter, because after retaking another sample from you last night, this morning it came back negative. So...if anything, you 'slept' through the worst of it."

Ike chuckled quietly, appreciating the friendly doctor trying to lighten the mood knowing how upset this whole situation was making the older boy.

It was terrifying to think he had been out for so long.

And Marth...

Cobalt eyes shined down at the lighter bluenette in his arms,

"W-What about him?"

The silver-haired gentleman sighed softly, placing his glasses once more above his nose before walking back over to the end of the bed to flip through the pages of his clipboard,

"Overall, Marth has been okay...he only had a mild case of hypothermia when he first came in with you, but by the end of the second night he had recovered...however...there is one thing I am concerned about."

The mercenary looked up at that, his muscles tensing upon hearing the physician's change in tone.

The older man locked eyes with the darker bluenette for a moment, a glint of shock passing through his jade orbs as he noticed the amount of intense protection that suddenly flared up within those cobalt ones across from him.

But, the clinician understood that look.

Even with the commander himself scared beyond belief at what had happened to him, the older boy didn't seem to be too pleased at the thought of something befalling the younger while under his state of unconsciousness.

The doctor could even sense the tiniest bit of guilt peeking through the taller swordsman's stoic face.

Letting out a quiet sigh, the grey-haired man worriedly looked down at his youngest patient before acknowledging his older companion,

"Are you...um...hmm...did you happen to notice Marth having any...night issues...before this incident?"

Ike tilted his head in thought.

Before his face paled.

"T-The...the nightmares...t-they...they came back?"

The doctor nodded slowly, his eyes carefully studying the suddenly frazzled swordsman below him,

"So, I'm assuming you're indeed aware of them...and...how he...acts out when they occur?"

The mercenary blinked at that,

"Wait...what are you talking about? I mean...yeah, he usually gets upset...and, ya know, cries it out until he feels better...but, Doc...he hasn't had one of those for a little over a month now...I honestly can't see why—."

"Um...my apologizes for interrupting, but...Marth's behavior is actually a bit more severe than you are describing."

Ike was taken back by that, his cobalt orbs looking down towards the sleeping boy on his chest before warily glancing back up at the concerned man in front of him,

"Excuse me?"

Gods, now he sounded just like the prince.

But, damn it if he just wanted some serious fucking answers about what the hell has been going on without him.

Nodding in understanding, the clinician adjusted his white coat once more before getting to the point,

"Every night...since you two have arrived...Marth ends up having one of his...fits, to put it delicately. However, whenever his assigned nurse would come in and try to calm him, the boy would never pay her any mind before locking himself in the lavatory...and, when we presume, _he_ believed himself safe to come back out...Marth would then sneak his way over here to sleep with you...But, of course, we would eventually find him and...well...our male nurses have so far been the ones in charge of removing him. Because, as thin as that boy may look, he puts up one heck of a fight."

Ike's mouth was gaping open.

The usually well-mannered and sophisticated royal he knew would _never_ act out so disrespectfully.

Especially while in a professional setting.

Oh, now the mercenary felt the same high amount of concern the doctor had himself.

"This is not something I wish for you to burden yourself with at all, Ike. I just wanted to discuss it with you for confirmation if something like this has happened before...but, by the look on your face, I'm assuming this behavior is new...But, like I have said, please do not worry yourself over this for we do have psychologists on staff that are perfectly capable of dealing with such matters—."

"No."

The silver-haired medical professional blinked at that,

"Pardon?"

"No. I-I'm not gonna have Marth sent down to some shrink just because he's scared. I will take care of him."

The older gentleman frowned at that, not wanting to argue with his patient, but the younger male did just wake up from a coma not a few hours ago,

"Ike...I understand your personal concern for your...friend here, but you are still sick and your recovery is not yet complete—."

"You said he came to _me,_ when this happened, correct? Even unconscious, whatever was going on with him seemed to calm down whenever he stayed in _my_ room. So...no offense, sir, but...I rather be dying with my last breaths on my actual death bed and care for the man I love than lend Marth over to a form of care he will be extremely uncomfortable with that will probably end up making his condition worse."

The physician nodded, keeping his mouth shut knowing the stern look on the commander's face left absolutely no more room for argument on the matter.

However, he still gave the stubborn mercenary a soft smile before removing his reading glasses one final time as he placed a gentle hand atop Ike's blanketed leg,

"Alright...well, I will leave you two in peace for now so you can rest some more. I will send one of my nurses in later to go over the doses of antibiotics we have been prescribing to you, along with having the removal of um...ahem..."

The mercenary raised an eyebrow when the older man started gesturing towards a bag hanging off the end of his bed.

Cobalt eyes peered down at it in question before Ike's face suddenly burned bright red in embarrassment.

So caught up in everything that has been going on with him and the prince, the Crimean apparently failed to notice the catheter hooked right up into his—

"Yep. Please. That'd be great."

The doctor chuckled with an affirming nod before quietly making his exit.

Ike whined quietly in frustration once he knew the other was out of earshot, incredibly uncomfortable now that he knew _that_ was down there.

He growled quietly in annoyance.

_'Ah, fuck all of this—,'_

"Thank you."

Blinking suddenly in surprise, the older swordsman's angering thoughts vanished completely from his mind upon hearing the soft voice below him.

Cobalt orbs peered down into a pair of shy, red rimmed, sapphire eyes.

Immediately, Ike bent down to envelop those sweet lips into his own before gently pulling away.

"For what, love?" He whispered back fondly.

A small smile tugged at the prince's lips at the other's pet name for him before the teal-haired soldier curled himself further into the commander's neck,

"F-For...t-the...um...I-I heard them talking 'bout the p-psych ward l-last night and...j-just...t-thank you...but...Ike...I-I'm just so h-happy you finally woke up...I-I thought—."

"Shhh...it's alright, Princess. Remember what I told you? I will never let anything bad happen to you...and that includes letting some silly doctor think it best to stick your precious self in a scary place with a bunch of crazies."

Marth giggled quietly at that before he held onto the mercenary tightly once more,

"H-How's your chest? I-I'm sorry if I've b-been hurting you...I just—."

Suddenly, the younger male blinked down at the finger being pressed gently against his rambling lips before his sapphire eyes looked up into comforting cobalt,

"Enough. I am fine...I feel much better than I did back in those stupid mountains, okay? And, we are going to leave it at that before you start an entire entourage of apologies."

The prince frowned before obeying silently, letting him snuggle himself back into the darker bluenette.

The two laid peacefully together for another few minutes until Ike pressed a kiss to the other's teal hair before questioning him softly,

"You gonna tell me what's been going on with you?"

The royal blushed lightly at the sudden question before purposefully avoiding Ike's concerned gaze.

"Nuh huh. Look at me."

Marth bit his lip, hiccuping lightly at those simple words.

The last time the older male had said them to the prince, the mercenary had been nearly unconscious and dying in the Altean's arms.

Brows bending in anguish, the commander gently held the other's chin before making those watery eyes look up at him once more,

"Hey now...what's gotten you all out of sorts, huh? Marth...I'm okay. I'm right here. Alive and _breathing._ You...you got me to safety...just like you promised."

However, the younger swordsman shook his head, a few tears slipping past his eyes as he bowed his head.

Ike had no clue as to what actually happened.

How lucky the mercenary was that the two of them were _found_ in time.

Marth did _nothing._

Everyone claimed him as a hero, but...the prince didn't see it that way.

If anything, he saw it as—

"Marth Lowell. Look at me. I will not ask again."

Eyes widening at the other's sudden sternness, the young royal jerked his head up immediately before he was face to face with an incredibly concerned looking Ike.

"What happened?" The other asked, more softly this time.

The Crimean native was only harsh for that one moment so he could regain the lighter bluenette's attention, noticing the prince beginning to rail further and further into his upsetting thoughts that the older swordsman knew nothing about.

Marth whimpered quietly, his sapphire eyes looking into the other's soft ones pleadingly,

"N-Not here...I...I don't wanna talk about it...r-right now."

Ike combed a few teal strands of hair out of the other's face,

"That's fine...but, Marth...You _will_ talk about this...I mean, _look_ at you. The perfectionist of a royal I know would _never_ leave himself a mess like this. I can barely see you with that disheveled mop you call hair on top of your head."

The mercenary chuckled fondly at his own words, enticing the younger into a tiny smile as he tried lightening the mood _somehow._

Proud he got the other's lips pulling up a bit, Ike decided to continue his playful teasing as he gently pulled at the shorter male's bangs,

"Sir, if you could be so kind as to remove these _curtains,_ I would like to speak with the great _Prince Marth,_ please."

That got the royal to fall into a small fit of giggles, the younger boy snorting quietly as he tried hiding his blushing face behind his hand.

Ike smirked, glad he was finally getting a real smile out of the teal-haired swordsman.

Then, the mercenary cuddled up to him, kissing those pink cheeks sweetly as he held the other securely in his arms before sighing softly.

There was still one other particular matter he was also very concerned about,

"Wanna tell me what's been going on with these 'night issues' of yours?"

Marth's giggling stopped abruptly, the royal staring at him silently before totally trying to pull off a look of innocence.

Ike laughed at that,

"Oh, don't you play coy with those sweet, doe eyes of yours, _Princess."_

Smiling softly, the royal dropped the playful look immediately before looking down into his lap sadly.

The commander then pushed away those unruly teal bangs from the other's face so he could read Marth's eyes,

"I thought the nightmares went away...?"

The prince bit his lip before he shyly looked up at the older swordsman,

"T-They did...b-but..."

Ike watched as the other gulped nervously before the lighter bluenette suddenly reached out to hold the Crimean's left hand once more.

"It's something else...isn't it?" The taller male questioned softly as he began stroking a comforting thumb across the other's hand.

Marth nodded, sniffling softly as he continued to give the mercenary a solemn look.

Although his chest was beginning to ache badly once again, knowing he and the royal needed to catch some more rest after this, the darker bluenette chose to ignore it as he leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to the side of the upset royal's head,

"Does it have to do with what happened in the mountains? After I...?"

The teal-haired boy gave another silent nod before hiccuping quietly.

He didn't like where either of these two conversations were going.

And, Ike could tell.

But, for now, he let it go.

Knowing those horrible dark circles under the other's eyes were going to get nowhere if he kept the prince awake any longer than he has been already.

With another soft kiss to the teal-haired swordsman's trembling lips, the mercenary gently pulled him to lay back down atop his chest,

"Come on. You need to sleep. And...now that I'm willingly allowing you into my room, those nurses shouldn't bother you any more, okay?"

Biting his lip softly, that was exactly what the Altean native had been worrying about before the commander spoke those gentle and kind words to him,

"P-Promise?"

Ike leaned forward to kiss the anxious royal's nose sweetly,

"I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSSSSHHH like any of you are actually going to read anything down here when there’s ANOTHER chapter waiting for you —>
> 
> BUT IN CASE YOU DO I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY: 
> 
> If you were hurt in any way shape or form by Ike not wanting Marth to be treated by a psychologist, PLEASE know I meant no harm whatsoever by it. I, too, actually see a therapist for my own mental illness struggles and what I had wrote was just to go along with the characters personalities and how I would think THEY would react. Please...if I had hurt any of you I am so deeply deeply sorry. As of right now, I may take out that scene. I am still deciding on it because that would require me to fix up the chapter a bit. But, if I must then I will. 
> 
> I rather rewrite all 15 chapters then let any of my readers be offended by something I wrote


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was 8600+ words 
> 
> OH MY GOD 
> 
> (I don't even want to talk about how long it took to edit this chapter and chapter 14–ya girl clearly had a lot of free time on her hands)
> 
> Hope the long read for both of these chapters was worth it along with the short wait haha :)

A foot tapped lightly with impatience, a red cape held tightly within the young bluenette's hands while a pair of sapphire eyes glanced back and forth anxiously as the prince stood silently within the dark room.

He whined softly, wondering what was taking the other so long.

However ignoring the fact that it had only been a minute or two since the mercenary was out of his sight.

Suddenly, the muffled sound of a toilet flushing could be heard before the quiet rush of water spilling from a faucet came afterwards.

Then, the restroom door creaked open slowly as brown boots quietly stepped back into the hospital room,

"Alright. Your turn, Princess. Your stuff has already been laid out for you."

But, Marth backed up as he shook his head in protest, gripping tighter to the Crimean's clothing item within his white knuckled hands,

"I can wait. L-Let's just go—."

"Marth. We are not going anywhere until you are properly dressed. Plus, I still need my refill of medications for the small amount of fluid still in my lungs. Now, come on. I'll be right out here—."

"No."

Ike sighed, his fingers pushing into the bridge of his nose in annoyance at the stubborn teal-haired swordsman.

He loved the boy with all of his heart, but this new anxious behavior of the prince was already becoming very overwhelming for the recovering Crimean native.

And, he's only been awake for a day and a half.

If only Marth would _talk_ to him—

"I-I'm sorry."

Cobalt eyes blinked up at the other's guilt-ridden voice, sighing softly as he looked into those apologetic eyes,

"It's alright...you know I'm just very worried about you."

Ike paused before giving the other a once over,

"So...you sure you're okay to walk out in _that?"_

The royal blushed before he peered down at his hospital attire, his clean white shirt and light indigo trousers innocently and comfortably adorned on his body.

But, the younger male shook his head.

He missed his battle clothing and Falchion dearly.

And, luckily, the medical center was kind enough to run their clothes and armor through the hospital's own personal washing area while the two males recovered over the past week.

"You wanna leave the door open?"

Marth jerked his head up at that, blinking from his quiet thoughts before shaking it furiously, a dark blush coating his cheeks as he gave the mercenary an incredulous look.

The darker bluenette gave out a loud sigh as looked up to the ceiling in exasperation,

"Welp. Then, you're just gonna have to stay in that. I'm not coming into the bathroom with you, Princess."

"I didn't ask you to."

"Well, with the way things were going, I had a feeling you might."

The prince gaped his mouth open, cheeks continuing to flush pink in embarrassment as the older male made eye contact with him once more,

"Marth...I promise you. I will be okay out here by myself."

Said boy whined loudly, stomping his foot in agitation before nibbling softly at his lip as he tried coming to a decision,

"I-If...If I leave the door open...y-you promise not to look?"

Cobalt eyes glistened with a huge amount of fondness at the other's shy question,

"Of course. Just leave it open a crack. And...I can sing really badly for you if that will make you feel any better...so you know I'm still out here."

Marth giggled before playfully pushing the softly smirking commander,

"That is not necessary, but thank you."

Ike chuckled at that before extending his gloved hand out to the royal,

"My cape?"

Completely forgetting he was still holding the large red cloak, the prince looked down at it unsurely before glancing back up at the taller swordsman sheepishly.

"You're gonna bring it in there with you, aren't you?"

The prince gave the other a bashful look before shuffling his feet uncomfortably, choosing not to answer the question.

Ike rolled his eyes playfully before leaning down to press a soft kiss to the other's teal bangs, glad the prince finally decided to brush his mop of unruly hair.

The mercenary ended up learning earlier this afternoon that the young royal had been secretly holding onto his tattered clothing item the whole time the Crimean had been unconscious.

The cape apparently becoming a comfort item to the anxious swordsman.

And, clearly Marth wasn't ready to give it up just yet.

"Alright...just...don't get any pee on it."

The prince gasped, appalled by the other's little faith in him to keep clean before realizing the older soldier was merely messing with him once more as Ike kissed his rosy cheek sweetly, patting the royal's backside lightly towards the lavatory.

Still blushing furiously, the teal-haired swordsman hesitated briefly before walking inside, Ike's red cape in hand as he left the door slightly ajar.

The mercenary just shook his head in amusement before leaning against the adjacent wall as he patiently waited for the apprehensive bluenette.

He really hoped that their first dinner outside the hospital with Red and Lucas tonight will help loosen the teal-haired boy up.

The two other youngsters apparently were kicked out of the village when they first arrived, with Ike still not knowing _how_ the two children even ended up here, and it was apparently for reasons Marth still failed to elaborate on because the scared royal was still adamant on disclosing any information to him.

But, Ike couldn't understand for the love of himself as to why, or figure out what was making the younger male so troubled.

And, the other's separation anxiety with the commander was very concerning, as well.

Not that the mercenary minded the royal's sudden clinginess, but he hated the fact that Marth was now too afraid to be by himself for too long.

Hell, the boy couldn't even go to the bathroom without an escort.

Said escort _needing_ to be the one and only Ike.

Because the prince couldn't stand the thought of the Crimean being alone, either.

The younger male constantly worried something drastic was going to befall the older swordsman if the royal himself was not around to protect him—

"Ike?"

Suddenly brushing away his swirling thoughts of the other, the commander smiled fondly at the soft call to his name,

"Yes, love?"

There was a brief pause as a small amount of shuffling could be heard from within the restroom before the Altean native continued,

"C-Can you...u-um...?"

Chuckling quietly, the darker bluenette immediately knew what the other was silently asking.

He began to whistle out a gentle tune for the anxious prince.

A lullaby from home his mother used to sing to him and Mist before her passing.

Honestly, the song itself was permanently stuck inside the mercenary's head because his little sister constantly hummed it all the time back home.

After another few minutes passed by, a shy looking Marth appeared from the restroom, continuing to hold the other's red cape tightly as he was now adorned in his clean signature tunic, trousers, and boots, his navy cape draped over his shoulders and armor as it fell neatly down his back.

And, Falchion was safely tucked into its scabbard.

Ike stopped his quiet whistling before turning to smile brightly down at the other,

"Now, there's my handsome prince."

Said boy blushed lightly at the compliment as he gave the other a small smile before tucking a loose teal strand of hair behind his ear.

The mercenary continued to smile fondly at the bashful boy, reaching forward to pull the other into his chest so he could hold him for a moment.

Marth giggled quietly as Ike then leaned down to brush their noses together.

"I love you," the commander whispered sweetly.

The prince grinned before leaning upward to press his lips into the older male's awaiting ones,

"I love you, too...so much."

Cobalt eyes continued to shine lovingly down at the teal-haired swordsman as the darker bluenette brought the two of them back over to the hospital bed, carefully stepping over Ragnell as the gold sword was casually laying along the floor.

Ike took a seat first before the Altean native hopped up next to him.

The mercenary then pulled the other close to his side, Marth bringing his legs up so he would be more comfortable while he still cuddled with the commander's scarlet cape.

"I'm never getting that back, am I?"

Sapphire eyes peered up into amused cobalt orbs before Marth pulled out his bottom lip at the older bluenette in a pout.

The Crimean native simply chuckled at that look, combing back the other's teal bangs fondly before they suddenly heard the hospital room door open quietly.

Both pairs of azure eyes glanced up at the sweet blonde who walked up to them, a kind hand gently holding out two orange medical prescription cups for the mercenary to take.

"Alright, gentlemen. You should now be all set to go...," the nurse started softly before resting her kind hazel eyes on the prince,

"I'm gonna miss you Cute Stuff."

Marth blushed darkly at that, bowing his head down bashfully with a small smile as he felt the mercenary smirk down at him.

The darker bluenette knew how much the older woman in front of them adored the younger swordsman.

She was the same lady who had tried removing the royal from the commander when he first woke up in the hospital, as well.

Albeit how uncomfortable Marth had been his entire time alone with these strangers, the boy still managed to warm up to his assigned nurse, who had done everything she could to help the prince feel safe and secure while he waited impatiently for the Crimean native to wake up.

She even told Ike during a one-on-one personal check up with the mercenary that she had stayed late past her shifts a few times in order to keep the younger male at ease until he felt comfortable enough to fall asleep.

Even though the stubborn royal would eventually wake up to go back to Ike.

But, that was besides the point.

The older swordsman was extremely appreciative of the sincere woman's assistance and care to his younger companion.

"T-Thank you...for everything, Nurse Annabelle," Marth whispered softly, glancing up to her as his sapphire eyes shined with gratitude.

Said medical assistant nodded silently, a gentle smile gracing her lips before she pressed a soft kiss to the Altean's forehead.

She hoped with all of her heart the two were going to be alright now.

"Especially, for looking out for him."

Hazel eyes blinked suddenly at those quiet words before the sweet lady turned herself to look towards the thankful mercenary.

Her smile unwavering, she reached up to place a gentle hand on the muscular warrior's shoulder,

"You better do one hell of a fine job in taking over for me, young man. Understand?"

Ike chuckled softly at that, his cobalt eyes shining fondly as he felt Marth playfully nudge his other arm at the generous woman's words,

"Yes ma'am. You know I will."

_"Good."_

* * *

Bringing the sander across the metallic surface once more, the round knight let out a satisfied sigh as he lifted his masterpiece up to his working light once more.

It was almost complete, just one more correction around the eye hole and then—

"Meta Knight! Are you almost finished?! A little help in keeping this damn thing shut would be appreciated right about now!"

Golden eyes flashed towards his companion, the fur coated warrior gritting his teeth tightly as Lucario's glowing blue paws pressed hard against the jammed part of the wall they were currently hiding behind.

"In a moment. That last battle really deformed my mask...I could hardly see out of it—."

 _"Why_ is it important that you must wear it? These grotesque beings already know who are anyhow."

"It is a preference."

Red eyes rolled with annoyance before the Pokémon let out another grunt as the group of Waddle Doos continued to pound annoyingly at the square-shaped, iron panel.

"Alright. Let us depart."

Spinning around, the blue and black colored fighter pressed his back up against the wall, his body being pushed repeatedly as he looked over to the spherical solider.

Clean, cut, and corrected, Meta Knight firmly placed his beloved head gear back in its rightful place before wielding Galaxia tightly in his hold once more.

With that, Lucario pulled back the panel.

The jester-like creatures came stumbling immediately into the small space, blinking their sparkly, singular eyes in confusion before they landed on the Popstar warrior huddled in the dark corner.

Before they could react, however, the navy puffball growled before he shot his spiked sword forward, tucking his wings in before the knight's own body spun aggressively along with his weapon as he tore into each and every Waddle Doo in the span of just a few seconds.

The Pokémon hopped out of the way, arms crossing proudly as he smirked at the swordsman's unique ability.

Coming out of his twirling onslaught against the Dreamland enemies, the round soldier huffed as he observed the massacre around him before glancing up at the other fighter's stance.

"Finally," Lucario stated before he walked over to the his short companion.

Meta Knight rolled his eyes at the other's sly look, a small smirk of his own tugging at his lips before he gestured for his fur coated companion to follow him out of the in-wall storage unit,

"Alright. Now that that has been taken care of, we must make haste to the control room so we can figure out who's flying this thing."

The Pokémon nodded in agreement before the two took off down the iron and steel covered halls once more.

* * *

"I cannot believe how much you enjoy this mush, it's revolting."

Three pairs of giggles elicited from the youngest ones at the dinner table as they all looked over to the disgusted mercenary in amusement.

"It's not mush, you baby. It's _soup_. And, it's delicious. You honestly should try it more often, even after you recover," the prince interjected playfully before he scooped up another spoonful of his seasoned, Italian Wedding soup.

Ike chose to ignore the royal as he continued to frown at his own creamy, Baked Potato flavored broth.

Unfortunately, because his body still needed time to readjust to its natural solid food consumption, their doctor highly recommended that the Crimean take his meals slow. Requiring the older boy to start off with soups and porridge, because he would just get sick if he went straight to eating protein and carbs right off the bat.

The annoyed commander thought it was a load of bull crap until he stubbornly shoved a chili dog from one of the vendors earlier that evening into his mouth.

In turn, causing the poor swordsman to cough it up a few minutes later, along with him having a very angry looking Marth glaring down at the hunched male while he had vomited into the bushes.

So, here Ike was, stuck eating this crap with a cheeky teal-haired prince and their two younger companions.

"Aww, don't be too upset Ike! At least you're still allowed to eat ice cream!" Lucas chimed in happily.

The frustrated mercenary couldn't help but give a small smile at the blonde boy.

Even though he was still lost on what truly went down in the mountains and everything this past week, he was very glad the two adolescents managed to make it to the village safely.

Cobalt eyes then glanced over to his left, watching as the young royal beside him choked on a laugh at something Red had said.

Before Ike sighed quietly to himself.

Although Marth was doing okay right now, the taller warrior was still impatiently trying to figure out what has been silently upsetting the young prince.

Said boy abruptly turned to him.

The lighter bluenette had been quietly feeling the mercenary's eyes on him before he finally decided to peek his own up to the other in curiosity.

He frowned when he noticed the brutal amount of concern filled within those cobalt orbs.

Suddenly, a piece of bread was thrown at Ike's head, causing the older male to become distracted from his worrying thoughts of the other.

"Hey, space cadets. We know how much you love each other, but...save those looks for the bedroom."

Both bluenettes blushed furiously as they turned their heads slowly towards a smirking Red.

_'How...what? Isn't he a kid? How would he even know about—?'_

Recognizing the surprised looks on the swordsmen's bashful faces, the dark haired boy chuckled quietly as he fiddled with his white and red cap, also choosing to ignore the innocent look of bafflement on Lucas' own face,

"I know too much for my age...and...we're gonna leave it at that."

Ike gulped, cheeks still burning red in embarrassment as he wasn't even trying to pull off what the other boy was thinking.

He, however, glanced over one more time to find those curious pair of sapphire eyes once again looking over him worriedly, the prince's cheeks still a fair amount of pink, as well.

Giving an abrupt cough, the mercenary just gave the concerned boy a warm, reassuring smile before reaching for his soup spoon.

The Crimean native grimaced lightly at the offending entree below him before the darker bluenette reluctantly scooped up more of the yellow-colored mush decorated in scallions and bacon bits before shoving it into his mouth.

Although happy his stubborn companion continued on to eat his meal, Marth had difficulty swallowing down another spoonful of his own as his anxiety for the other suddenly flared up.

_'Why was Ike staring at me like that?_

_I'm fine.'_

* * *

Well...this was not what he had been expecting.

At all.

These...

Flat. Black. Obscure shaped beings.

Were controlling _his_ ship?

_How?_

They weren't even three-dimensional!

"How do you expect we go about this?"

Blinking from his own concerning thoughts, Meta Knight shifted his eyes over to the Pokémon studying the computer screen in thought.

"They do not appear to be harmless...but...what _are_ they?" The round soldier questioned in complete bafflement.

Lucario shrugged his shoulders, his ruby eyes studying the screen once more before letting out a deep sigh as he walked back over to the entrance door of the control room,

"Well, there's only one way to find out."

Meta Knight nodded in agreement as he watched the blue and black Pokémon gesture his head outside the door.

It was time they got a move on to finally take control of his ship once and for all.

With that, the fierce duo let themselves out of the room, the Popstar warrior shutting it securely behind them before they took off down the hall once more.

Black feet pounded roughly against the metallic surface as they followed quickly behind the gliding navy puffball, the other's wings flapping powerfully every few seconds to gain more speed towards their destination.

The fur coated fighter was just about to take another leap, pushing against his back legs for more leverage when he suddenly caught something strange in the corner of his eye.

Slowing down his pace, Lucario turned to have himself a good look at the strange object sitting suspiciously on the floor, it purposely being secluded behind one of the iron crates,

"Hmm..."

After another moment, the canine-like warrior heard a pair of wings gently flapping behind him before they stopped.

Violet boots creaked along the metal plated floor before Meta Knight came up beside the concerned Pokémon,

"What is it? It is only a mere box Luc—wait a minute."

Golden eyes flashed green in deep thought as the spherical solider let himself have a good look at the cardboard enigma, specifically honing in on the lettering written on it,

"'Smash Brothers'...? Isn't that...the name of the tournament I was required to attend?"

"You too?"

Green eyes reverted back to their original color as they met curious red orbs, realization dawning on both of the fighters' faces.

"What in _blazes_ is going on?" Meta Knight grumbled under his mask in frustration before he watched as the Pokémon set his attention back on the matter at hand.

The blue and black colored solider slowly closed his eyes, ruby flashing to gold in an instant as Lucario used his aura to get himself a good look inside the box.

He grunted quietly to gain the round knight's attention, noticing what appeared to a human sitting within the offending object.

Golden orbs turned in time to see his fur coated companion nonchalantly lifting the labeled container.

Before realizing it had been hollow, a crouched, bearded man being revealed as he glanced up in total surprise at the two warriors of Subspace.

Covered in black straps containing various weaponry, steely blue eyes carefully eyed the two peculiar beings in front of him, who were staring at the armed soldier with the same look.

Meta Knight growled lowly, slashing Galaxia in the air in preparation for a fight,

"Who are you and what are you doing hiding in my ship?"

The man simply stared at him before his brows drew in anger,

 _"Your_ ship? Well...buddy, you sure are doing a piss-poor job at controlling it. What the _hell_ are all the damn ass creeps that keep trying to attack me?!"

Taking a step back at the other's words, Meta Knight and Lucario glanced at each other in confusion before the Pokémon suddenly stilled.

However, the annoyed human ignored the strangely alert blue and black creature in front of him as he got up on one knee to pull out a fragmentation grenade from one of his black pouches,

"Since you both look just as weirdly deformed as the things I've been fighting, I might as well disintegrate you into nothing while I have the time."

Golden eyes suddenly flashed red upon hearing the other's threat, the Popstar warrior gritting his teeth angrily before bringing his spiked sword forward.

The man himself was about to remove the clip off the awaiting item in his hands until a black paw suddenly came into his view.

The same happening with Meta Knight.

"Enough. We do not have time for this. We are being approached."

The fighting soldiers warily looked at each other for another moment before they both glanced their eyes into the distance.

But, saw nothing.

"Aura," Lucario explained quietly before he fixed himself into a fighting stance, fur sticking on end as his red eyes stared ahead in determination.

Following suit, the navy puffball turned his back on the incredibly dumfounded man who remained silent on the ground.

The grip tightened around Galaxia when Meta Knight was finally able to make out the army of Primids marching their way over to them from down the dark hall.

An ear picked up shuffling coming from behind him, causing Lucario to turn his head to find their current enemy hiding behind the iron crate.

However, the Pokémon knew he and his fellow round companion were going to need assistance with this coming battle.

So, he gestured to the grenade still held within the unknown soldier's hand,

"That will come in handy for us.

Got any more?"

* * *

Sapphire eyes looked down at the body sleeping soundly beside his own before a hand came up to rub tiredly at them.

The prince was _exhausted_.

This past week being one of the worst stresses of his existence, coming in second behind the dreaded two years of war fighting for his own life and his sister's.

But...something continued to pull strongly at the teal-haired boy's aching heart every time he looked at the commander over the past few weeks alone.

Hesitantly, Marth reached down to gently comb his thin fingers through the older male's spiked blue locks of hair, a sudden hiccup escaping past his lips.

He still couldn't believe Ike woke up.

Even when the nurses and doctors told the distraught royal it was most likely bound to happen, there was still a small chance that...

It might not have.

And, after all they've been through over these mere two months, the younger male couldn't bear for their story to end just like that.

With Ike remaining ill in a coma for Gods know how long...

The lighter bluenette quickly wiped at his watering eyes before getting up, making sure not to jostle the queen bed he was currently sharing with the dozing swordsman.

Luckily, Lucas and Red were provided their own room across the hall in the homey, well-kept inn all four warriors were currently staying in for these next few nights while Ike got a chance to recover fully.

Biting down on his trembling lip hard, the upset prince was about to make his way towards the bathroom before a sudden wave of memories overcame him...

_"IKE!"_

_The mercenary remained unmoving as Marth frantically pulled at the older swordsman's tunic,_

_"W-Wake up! C-Come on! D-Don't...Don't l-leave me...!"_

_Hiccuping harshly into the cold wind, tears spilled steadily from mournful sapphire eyes as the prince's teal wisps of hair flipped back in forth in a frenzy as the young royal desperately looked around for anything that could help the two of them out of this nightmare situation._

_But, they were alone._

_A good half mile above ground._

_In a frigid, snowy mountain._

_Glancing down at his shaky hands, Marth used one of them to press gently along the mercenary's neck._

_Which felt as cold as the ice beneath him._

_"I-Ike...," the prince moaned quietly in his upset._

_Before he suddenly sat completely still as the young royal felt a steady, but slow heartbeat underneath his two fingers._

_Gasping quietly, the Altean native pulled them back before hugging the older swordsman against his chest, adding as much body heat as he could._

_Still trembling with cold and grief, the teal-haired boy gently pressed a kiss into the commander's flurry covered hair,_

_"Y-You're gonna b-be just f-fine...I...I p-promise."_

_He knew the other couldn't hear him, but the prince needed to say it nonetheless._

_He needed confidence._

_He needed to believe for the ailing mercenary._

_And, for himself._

_That they were going to be okay._

_Gritting his teeth, Marth used all of the remaining strength he could muster into pulling the unconscious male over his shoulder once more, the lighter bluenette's cold, stiff muscles screaming in agony as he did so._

_The poor boy choked on a desperate sob as he suddenly stumbled forward with the commander._

_However, the Altean managed to regain his balance before he got the rest of the mercenary's dead weight on one side of his body while looping the other's arm around his neck._

_"O-Okay...b-baby steps...w-we're gonna m-make it, Ike. I s-swear to you—!"_

_Carefully, the prince was trying to ease the two of them step by step as best he could along the short mountain path. But, with the oncoming harsh winds and the slippery ground, it was only a matter of time before the royal's navy boots skidding once again on the icy floor before he fell back down hard with the Crimean's heavy, muscular body landing on top of him._

_Wincing badly at the terrible pain that shot through his entire person at the impact, the teal-haired swordsman bit down on his lip hard before choking on a loud sob,_

_"DAMMIT!"_

_Not caring about anything else other than the sick male above him, Marth let himself break down into a wail of messy snot and tears as he angrily punched his fist into the ground._

_All he wanted to do was save the love of his life._

_Why was that so damn hard?!_

_Crying loudly, the young prince pulled himself out from underneath the other before cradling the unconscious commander to his chest once more._

_"I-I...I d-don't know...w-what...t-to...*hic*...I-Ike—!"_

_The distraught male fell into more and more heart wrenching sobs as he curled himself up against the still mercenary._

_The younger soldier starting to become too cold himself as his own hypothermia began to set in._

_He was so scared._

_And, all he wanted was for the man beside him to wake up._

_All he wanted_

_was Ike._

_Suddenly, a loud flapping could be heard in the distance, causing the trembling boy to blink his sapphire eyes up towards the sound._

_The snow was starting to come down harder now, where the world around the teal-haired prince was becoming all a blur, his tear-filled eyes not helping the lost boy in the slightest._

_However, amongst his bad sight, the Altean native was able to make out something large and orange approaching him._

_Before a puff of hot air blew into his face._

_Sniffling softly with another hiccup, the young warrior pulled the unconscious male tighter against his body as he rubbed his eyes to clear up his vision._

_Crystal turquoise met watery sapphire._

_"Ch...Charizard...?"_

_There was a soft grunt, the said Pokémon rubbing its head softly against the upset prince's before two pairs of footsteps were suddenly heard,_

_"M-Marth...? Marth! Oh...oh my God..."_

_The young royal moaned before he felt a pair of arms trying to pull him to his feet._

_But, he whined angrily as that caused him to become separated from the unconscious mercenary,_

_"N-No...! I-Ike! I-I...c-can't leave h-him...!"_

_Red hushed him gently as Squirtle came up behind the younger boy's legs._

_The turtle-like creature slowly walked up to Ike, it's ruby eyes filling with sorrow as it nudged softly at the unconscious swordsman,_

_"Squirtle? Squirtle..?"_

_Lucas approached the upset Pokémon, gently pulling Squirtle away from Ike before taking off his small jacket and placing it on top of the ailing male, hoping it will provide a small amount of warmth for the time being while he and Red got the swordsmen situated._

_The older child then pulled off his own coat, carefully placing it over Marth's shoulders before pulling on one of the prince's trembling arms,_

_"D-Don't worry. We're gonna get you two out of here...Charizard!"_

_The orange, dragon-like creature grunted in response before it stomped over to its owner._

_Red pulled the young royal to stand beside the Pokémon, Charizard raising its wing to block the upset bluenette from the falling snow and cold wind._

_Sapphire eyes looked up at the large beast gratefully before glancing back towards the two boys, along with Squirtle, who were half carrying and half dragging the mercenary over to them._

_Suddenly, Marth felt the Pokémon beside him crouch down as the other three pulled Ike up onto the dragon's back,_

_"Alright. Marth, get on. Charizard is gonna take care of you from here. Lucas and I will meet you in a short while."_

_The prince took no time in questioning that as he too felt the orange creature nudge softly at his back, silently signaling the swordsman to hop on top of him._

_A moment later, the Altean native did as told, having one hand tightly clammed atop Charizard's shoulder while the other held tightly to the mercenary's waist._

_Then, the Pokémon took off with the two swordsmen in tow._

**_..._ **

_"You! Get out of here!"_

_"Ahhh!"_

_"W-What...What are those things?!"_

_Amongst all the screams of the terrified villagers reacting to the unusual sight of Pokémon, the prince only listened to one voice as panicked brown eyes met his own,_

_"Marth, go! Get Ike help! We'll be fine!"_

_Without another moment to spare, the royal pulled the commander's freezing body along before ramming his shoulder hard into the front entrance doors of the medical center,_

_"H-Help...! P-Please! M-My...my...h-he...he needs help!"_

_All eyes in the emergency waiting area silently turned to the trembling prince, the boy's body only able to hold Ike's for another second before both males dropped to the floor._

_The lighter bluenette choked on a sob as two nurses rushed over to him,_

_"P-Please—!"_

_"Shhh...relax for me sweetheart...just breathe. We're gonna get your friend help, don't worry."_

_The sweet blonde lady laid a calm hand on the Altean native's shoulder as she waved at two paramedics rolling over a stretcher._

_Carefully, she helped the upset bluenette up to his feet before stepping out of the way so the muscular men could lift the commander's unconscious body before gently strapping the darker bluenette down on the medical transport bed._

_They then rushed the Crimean behind a pair of double doors that led to somewhere unknown._

_On instinct, the prince went to bolt after him,_

_"I-Ike!"_

_However, the nurse that remained with him blocked the desperate male's path._

_The terrified boy in front of her was also in need of medical attention, the concerned nurse being able to tell by the multiple cuts along the royal's arms and the extremely low temperature of his body the older woman first noticed when she laid a hand on him,_

_"Hey hey hey. Calm down. Your friend is being taken to triage for a full diagnosis and treatment of his condition—."_

_"B-But—!"_

_"Honey...take a deep breath. Relax. Can you tell me your name?"_

_Sapphire eyes welled up with tears, the swordsman completely ignoring the woman as he desperately tried looking past the sincere nurse trying to soothe him._

_All he cared about was Ike._

_And he couldn't see him!_

_He needed to be with him!_

_Now—!_

_Realizing she wasn't going to get anything out of the frazzled young man with the grieving boy having the triage center in his sights, the blonde woman gently tugged the two of them inside the medical billing area._

_No windows to the other rooms were present here, which left the prince with no option but to look into the nurse's concerned hazel eyes._

_Marth was breathing heavily as his sapphire eyes quickly darted around the unfamiliar space before he looked at the older woman once more._

_He cried softly as she carefully caressed a soft hand to his cheek._

_"What's your name, baby?"_

_Hiccuping harshly, the young royal tried to calm his breathing as he kept staring desperately at the medical assistant,_

_"M-Marth..."_

_The blonde smiled softly before gently combing back the teal-haired swordsman's bangs,_

_"Okay, Marth. I'm Nurse Annabelle. You think you can calm down enough to tell me what happened to your friend...Ike, was it?"_

_Sniffling softly, the bluenette wiped at his eyes before nodding to the nurse's question._

_She continued to smile fondly at the upset prince before she reached for the tissue box resting atop the counter next to one of the computer monitors._

_Anabelle plucked one of the thin cloths from within before handing it over to the younger male,_

_"Alright...why don't we take a seat together in the private family waiting room while Ike get's taken care of? Would you like that?"_

_Marth nodded, hiccuping softly as he looked gratefully up to the sweet nurse,_

_"T-Thank y-you..."_

**_..._ **

_He shifted uncomfortably once more with an aggravated sigh._

_Just a few more hours, and the night nurses will move to the other side of the hospital._

_The perfect time for him to sneak out to see—_

_"Having trouble sleeping again?"_

_Gasping quietly under his blanket, Marth rolled over to find his assigned nurse leaning casually against his open door frame._

_Before he grumbled quietly,_

_"No."_

_The blonde chuckled, walking over to the stubborn bluenette before taking a seat beside his laying form,_

_"If you say so, kiddo."_

_Marth pouted at the nickname before hiding under his blanket._

_Anabelle leaned down to playfully tug at the soft, white comforter._

_But, the prince didn't budge._

_The woman smirked softly before letting out a sigh,_

_"Have it your way then. It's not like I have anything better to do."_

_A sapphire eye poked itself out of the blanket at that,_

_"Don't you have other patients to attend to?"_

_"Not while I'm off duty."_

_Marth sat up suddenly before looking towards the older woman worriedly,_

_"Off duty? Nurse Anabelle...shouldn't you be going home, then? To your family?"_

_The blonde chuckled fondly before tucking the other's messy teal bangs behind his ear,_

_"Nah...my husband is out of town right now taking a road trip with my younger brother."_

_The prince blinked at that,_

_"You have a little brother?"_

_The nurse smiled softly at the question,_

_"Indeed I do. He may be in his twenties, but the brat is still the troublemaker he used to be as a child. But...hey, he has his moments. I still gotta love the kid."_

_Marth giggled quietly at that before he looked down sadly, wishing his own sibling could be with him right now._

_"You got one?"_

_The swordsman looked up to curious hazel eyes before shaking his head with a small smile,_

_"Um...I-I'm actually the...uh...youngest. I have an older sister."_

_Anabelle grinned at the prince upon hearing that information,_

_"Well, I guess the two of us are gonna get along just fine, huh?"_

_Marth giggled once more, a genuine smile finally breaking across his lips before he gave the nurse a playful nod._

**_..._ **

_Hugging the scarlet colored cape to his chest once more, Marth sighed at it sadly before quickly securing it under his white sheets to keep it hidden from view._

_Then, the lighter bluenette slipped quietly out of his hospital bed before padding his way towards the door to his room._

_Quietly, the young royal turned the knob before stepping out into the dimly lit hallway._

_Turning his messy teal head from side to side, the prince carefully checked his surroundings before swiftly tiptoeing his way into the treatment room just one door down from his own._

_Letting himself in, the royal remained as quiet as a mouse as he slowly pulled his usual chair away from the pale pink wall before placing it right up against the hospital bed in the center of the new room._

_Taking a seat, Marth easily tucked himself up against the mattress, leaning his upper body lightly beside the limp arm atop the blanketed sheets before slipping his hand into the warm one attached to it._

_"I'm here now, Ike...and hopefully I'll get a few hours to stay with you 'till Nurse Anabelle finds me again."_

_Sapphire eyes then let themselves close peacefully._

_However, the prince only got about thirty minutes of sleep before he was suddenly jerked awake._

_And, that's when cobalt orbs finally met his own for the very first time in a week._

_"I-Ike...?"_

_..._

Watery eyes blinked down at the shaky hands beneath them, Marth's sudden dizzying head coming back to the present moment.

His memories faded away slowly, but the pain was still forever present in his heart.

The young royal suddenly choked on a sob—

"Marth...? What...what are you doing awake?"

Said boy stilled, completely forgetting he was still standing right beside their shared bed the Crimean native had been peacefully sleeping in.

The prince swallowed thickly before turning his head away from the concerned mercenary, not wanting the other to see him so upset.

He was fine.

He just needed...a moment.

"Love?"

_'Shit.'_

Marth suddenly cracked at the soft pet name, an unintentional whimper slipping past his lips upon hearing it.

Ike sat up immediately,

"Hey...what's going on?"

But, the teal-haired boy just shook his head.

He couldn't bring himself to turn around and face the concerned swordsman.

A soft shifting was heard before a gentle hand suddenly grasped onto the Altean's arm,

"Princess...come here. Talk to me."

The royal stubbornly shook his head again.

Ike frowned.

Fine.

If Marth wanted to be that way, then so be it.

The mercenary could be just as obstinate, if not more so.

With that, he tugged hard on the royal's arm, eliciting a surprised yelp from the younger male before wide sapphire eyes were forced to look into the commander's own.

However, the latter male regretted his actions immediately.

His chest no longer ached with pneumonia, but it still hurt immensely when those watery, heartbroken eyes of the prince locked onto his own cobalt orbs.

Ike released the other's trembling arm slowly before scooting himself back into the bed some.

The teal-haired soldier was staring at the Crimean like a deer caught in headlights before he hiccuped loudly, a few tears trickling past his mournful sapphire eyes.

"Shhh...it's alright, Marth. Everything's okay...Come on, love. There's no need to be scared."

Tucking himself further under the bed comforter, Ike shifted subtly before lifting the blanket above his head, a muscular arm concealed underneath it as an open invitation for the upset bluenette to join him.

Marth hesitated, his body shaking all over as he tried to keep his composure under control.

He glanced at the bathroom, wanting nothing more than to bolt over to it and hide away.

Away from his fears.

His anxiety.

Of this entire situation.

Like he's been doing over this past week.

But...Ike was with him now.

He was okay.

_Alive._

Suddenly, the mercenary's soft voice became too much for the Altean not to pass up, the other's cobalt orbs continuing to shine up at the anxious prince as they were filled with nothing but love and compassion for the terrified royal.

Marth whimpered softly in wanting before his legs suddenly gave out, leaving the younger male with no choice but to fall back onto the bed, wailing loudly as Ike hurriedly pulled the hurt boy into his arms,

"Shhh, Princess. You're okay. You're alright...oh...no no, love, please...d-don't...oh...Marth no..."

Brows bending in anguish, Ike pulled the crying royal into his chest tighter as the boy let out harder and harder sobs, unable to contain his pent up fear over the course of this past week without having the mercenary by his side.

Cobalt eyes squeezed themselves shut before they suddenly collected with tears of their own.

His fierce hold on the other never breaking, the commander tucked the shorter swordsman as close as possible into his body before he let out a soft hiccup.

With each racking sob eliciting from the younger bluenette, Ike's heart broke more and more.

He pressed his face into the weeping prince's head as he let out a shaky breath, the commander's silent tears falling into those soft teal locks below him before he pressed a gentle kiss to the younger's golden circlet.

Suddenly, Marth began coughing harshly, almost to the point of gagging as he struggled to breathe through his choked sobbing.

Watery cobalt eyes glanced down worriedly before Ike generously began rubbing soothing circles against the other's trembling back,

"Easy Marth...easy. It's okay...shhh."

However, said royal shook his head, his arms gripping tightly around Ike as he tried to control his grief by forcing his tears to slow.

"Nuh uh. I need you to let all of it out. Just ride through it, Princess. I'm right here...and I'm not going anywhere..."

Another quiet wail came out of the teal-haired royal before he buried his face as deep as he could into the mercenary's neck.

He just wanted the pain to go away.

Ike was right here.

And, Marth was failing to understand why he couldn't let go of what happened.

Why, even with the mercenary holding him, was he so afraid of losing him still?

"I-I...y-you...t-the...*hic*...m-moun...a-and b-breath-thin...*hic*...a-and—."

"Shhh...we will talk about everything when you calm down...just relax the best you can and lay with me," Ike gently interrupted, scooting down a bit further before he pulled the Altean up on top of his bare chest.

The younger male blinked up at the sudden jostling, his puffy red eyes spilling with more tears as they looked down at the commander silently.

Biting his lip softly, the mercenary tried holding in the rest of his own grief as the boy continued to look at him like that.

Ike then reached one hand up to wipe at the teal-haired royal's tear-stained cheeks, leaving his other arm wrapped securely around the other's waist,

"It's alright...I was just shifting a bit so we could be more comfortable. You're okay, love."

Marth whined, shaking his head as he combed a trembling hand through the older bluenette's short hair,

"N-No...'m..n-not...*hic*...I-Ike."

The Crimean gently reached for the shaky hand playing with his spiked strands of hair before holding it comfortingly within his own,

"Well, guess what? You're going to be...and, you wanna know why?"

The prince hiccuped lightly, nodded hesitantly in response.

He was slowly beginning to calm down as the older male continued to speak softly to him, a gentle thumb brushing back and forth against the royal's hand as Ike continued to keep it in a soothing hold.

"Because I said so. Because I'm gonna be right here, taking care of you. Making sure to wipe up that snotty nose of yours. Clean up those tears with a giant ass mop. Hell, I'll even braid your hair and add some flowers to it. Why? Because I'm going to do anything and everything I can to make _sure_ you're okay, got it?"

Marth giggled softly at the sincere mercenary below him before his watery sapphire eyes peered down at the darker bluenette shyly,

"'M...*hic*...s-sorry I've been...t-too a-afraid...t-to talk 'bout t-the...*hic*...m-moun...tains."

Ike frowned before holding the other's quivering hand to the mercenary's own tear-stained cheek,

"Hey...no 'sorries.' I don't wanna hear another one out of those sweet lips of yours...it's okay to be afraid...especially with what happened to us. It _was_ scary, Marth."

The prince looked to the side unsurely for a moment before gently reaching over with his free hand to hold Ike's face.

The Crimean smiled fondly at him,

"I got scared too, ya know. I...I didn't wanna l-leave you all alone...I...I d-didn't wanna die..."

Marth's eyes welled up with fresh tears as the commander hiccuped his grief below him,

"I-I k-know...I...I c-couldn't l-live with...m-my...self if I l-let...y-you...Ike! I-I'm s-so...s-sorry...you d-didn't deserve t-to...b-be...s-sick a-and...*hic*...!"

"H-Hey...Hey now...love, b-breathe. I-It's okay...you s-saved me...i-it's alright. We're safe," Ike sniveled out softly as he cuddled the upset prince close.

However, the taller swordsman became confused once more when the teal-haired prince shook his head again,

"I...I d-didn't do...n-nothin'...Ch-Char'z-zard...R-Red...Lu-Lucas...t-they—."

"Hush...n-no more talking until you are calm...A-And _yes_ , you _did_ save me. It wasn't just those two c-crazy kids. _You_ did everything you could to keep me safe before they even showed up. I _know_ you did...," Ike reassured the other quietly before lightly brushing his nose with the royal's red, snotty one,

"Now...why don't we clean you up and get some shut-eye, yeah?"

The younger male blinked at that before suddenly squealing loudly in surprise as Ike scooted the two of them out of the bed before hoisting the thin warrior up into his muscular arms.

Marth gripped his own around the commander's neck fearfully before wide, sapphire eyes looked down to the carpeted floor,

"P-Please do not d-drop me."

The mercenary laughed softly at that, suddenly jerking his arms downward and causing the prince to fall for a millisecond before he held the other tightly against his chest once more.

The Altean native gasped in horror at the other's playful behavior, not appreciating that scary drop for a moment as he now scrambled to keep his entire upper body attached to the commander's neck,

"Fuck you!"

Cobalt eyes widened in surprise at the other's haughty anger before bursting out into a fit of laughter as he walked the two of them into the bathroom.

The other boy was just too cute for the mercenary to handle.

Marth pouted at the older male's jeering, but he still kept his arms around the obnoxious Crimean nonetheless.

After another minute or so went by, the prince felt the other lightly bounce him in his arms,

"Uh...Princess? You gotta let me go so I can clean your face."

Sapphire eyes blinked at that before the young royal slowly removed his death grip from around the darker bluenette, his face flushing lightly.

Ike smiled fondly at the hesitant male, placing a sweet kiss against the other's cheek before he carefully set the sniffling boy down on the closed toilet seat.

Then, the darker bluenette reached for the roll of toilet paper on the side of the bathroom sink, pulling out a few long strips before tearing them away.

The mercenary folded one of them neatly before leaning down and gently wiping up the prince's messy nose with it.

Marth squeaked before trying to shove the older swordsman away, his cheeks glowing pink in embarrassment at the other's coddling,

"I-Ike! S-Stop it! I can do it myself!"

But, the Crimean native simply ignored him, wiping up the rest of the other's snot before throwing away the tissue and running a hand towel under warm water,

"Gods, you are just as stubborn as Mist."

"I am _not_ your little sister!"

"But, you _are_ a little brother."

_"Ike!"_

_"Princess!"_

"You don't have—mpff!"

Chuckling softly, the older male stuffed the warm hand cloth in the other's face to cut off his rambling before gently using it to wipe up the remainder of the messy prince.

"There. All better."

Marth had his arms crossed, his cheeks still burning crimson as the darker bluenette finally removed the small towel, the royal pouting furiously up at the mercenary who was smirking down at him.

However, the younger's embarrassment was suddenly ruined by a large yawn breaking passed his lips.

Ike smiled fondly at the sight before carefully lifting the other bridle style once more,

"Come on. Time for bed, Princess."

Not having any more energy to fight off the commander, Marth simply nodded before resting his teal head against the other's bare shoulder.

The older male pressed a sweet kiss to it as he gently set the Altean native back on the bed before laying down beside him.

The mercenary had barely slid under the covers before the lighter bluenette glued himself against his side, a tight grip wrapping itself around the Crimean native's left arm.

However, the older male gently tugged it off, causing the younger swordsman to whine in protest before the taller soldier decided to do him one better.

Carefully, he shoved his bare chest up against Marth's clothed one before bringing both of his muscular arms around the anxious prince, holding the other in a comforting bear hug,

"You're okay. I'm right here."

The young royal sighed with relief, happy to be enveloped in the other's strong arms as he snuggled further into the mercenary's chest,

"I love you."

Ike smiled at that before nudging his head against the teal-haired boy's own,

"I love you more."

And with that, the two locked their lips in a passionate kiss.

Before falling asleep soon after.

They will deal with the rest of their stresses in the coming morning.

For now, they allowed themselves to be wrapped up snug and safe within each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW. 
> 
> THE EMOTIONAL AND WRITING FUNCTIONS OF MY BRAIN ARE FRIED. 
> 
> I was so hyped to get started on Chapter 14 right away, that I ended up coughing up a whole other chapter along with it. 
> 
> Just to make things clear, I have NO harsh feelings towards therapists and psychologists and the like.
> 
> I, myself, have even benefited from one. 
> 
> I just know psych wards are quite intense in hospital settings >.<
> 
> And plus...Ike is our top-tier husbando who would rather care for Marth himself than let someone else do it <33
> 
> Also, lmao I know NOTHING of Snake's personality (like the wiki says he's a clone and I'm just like "wtf, how do I work with this?") so BEAR with me on that one. 
> 
> And, I do sincerely apologize for the small amount of MK action with his new acquaintances. These two chapters were solely dedicated to the emotional aftermath of the incident between Ike and Marth in the mountains. 
> 
> ONCE AGAIN, thank you everyone for your amazing kudos, reading, comments, BEAUTIFULNESS ETC, ETC. 
> 
> I am so blessed with how loved this story has become...and it's not even over yet! (It's definitely half way through by now, but not yet complete :D) 
> 
> I am just...ah *wipes single tear from face* so happy this work makes YOU guys happy. 
> 
> Much love! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	16. Chapter 16

"Is it over yet?"

Amused cobalt orbs peeked themselves through the flimsy, transparent maroon curtains of the hotel room for another moment, silently viewing the darkening clouds outside before another few flashes of lightening escaped from them,

"Not quite, Princess. Give it another hour."

A quiet moan came from the bed, the mercenary turning to find his younger companion's face squished beneath a pillow while the royal held Ike's red cape tightly to his chest.

The Crimean native rolled his eyes playfully before walking back over and taking a seat on the bed beside the other.

Marth frowned when he heard quiet chuckling from above.

"It's not funny," he grumbled out miserably.

The darker bluenette just continued to smile as he reached beneath the pillow to wiggle his fingers behind the Altean native's ear, laughing quietly when he heard a light squeal elicit from under the plump item,

"S-Stop it!"

"Nuh uh. Not until you pop that cute head of yours out from under there."

Marth kicked his legs playfully, trying to squirm his covered face and body away from the mercenary's relentless hands,

"N-Not until the storm's over!"

Ike continued to laugh at the other's antics, jabbing his fingers along the prince's neck and ribs now.

The lighter bluenette released one hand from the commander's scarlet cloak to try and push the older swordsman away, but his efforts were no match for the stronger male,

"I-Ike!"

The royal giggled loudly, unable to contain himself any longer as he removed the pillow from his flushed face, needing a proper amount of air to breathe into for a moment as his gleeful sapphire eyes sparkled up into the other's playful cobalt orbs.

With a huge grin slapped onto his face, Ike leaned down to brush his nose against the teal-haired swordsman's own.

The two remained like that for a quiet, peaceful moment, their pairs of azure colored eyes silently admiring one another in sweet fondness before another loud crack of thunder reverberated throughout the walls of the inn.

Marth gasped quietly, sapphire eyes shining fearfully up into Ike's own before he squeezed them shut, whimpering quietly as he reached out for the pillow once more to hide himself.

But, the Crimean stopped him, grasping the other's trembling hand and intertwining it with his own as he hushed the frightened male gently,

"Relax...it's okay, love."

The young royal shook his head, his other, white-knuckled hand continuing to grip the other's red cape tightly as he refused to open his eyes.

Ike simply smirked at the shorter male before slowly bending down once more to steal those quivering lips into a soft, comforting kiss.

Sapphire eyes snapped themselves open.

Before Marth hesitantly looked up to the older swordsman, the other's cobalt eyes half-lidded as they shined with nothing but love and security towards the anxious prince.

The younger male allowed himself to take a deep breath as he continued to gain reassurance by the other's calming look, exhaling softly through his nose before the two bluenettes slowly shut their eyes in unison.

They enjoyed their quiet make out session for another few moments, the royal's fear of the weather dwindling slowly as Ike caressed his teal locks with a soothing hand while keeping the prince's soft lips contently occupied.

Until their door was busted open—

"No! Squirtle get back here!"

Both swordsmen gasped in surprise, faces coating three shades of red as a pajama clad Lucas came barging into their room, calling out for the turtle-like creature that was seen suddenly hopping up onto their bed.

Its ruby eyes shined brightly towards the older bluenette,

"Squirtle! Squirtle!"

Ike smiled tensely, still flustered by the sudden interruption to his intimate moment with the prince, the other's blushing face still laying in his lap as the commander gently reached out to pet the awaiting Pokémon smiling happily at him,

"Well...good morning."

Squirtle made a quiet noise of contentment, rubbing his face into the Crimean native's hand before bending down to give a surprised Marth a lick to his face,

"Gah!"

The darker bluenette couldn't help himself as he burst into a fit of laughter at his younger comrade's look of disgust,

"Awww Princess! I thought you said he was _cute_ and _harmless!"_

Marth grumbled, unamused as he stared the older male dead in the eyes before using Ike's cape to slowly wipe off the Pokémon's saliva from his cheek.

"Oh, you are _so_ getting that cleaned for me."

"Nope."

"Princess, even _your_ drool is on it."

The royal gasped, sitting up swiftly as he stared down at the scarlet cape in shock.

Before his face reddened greatly.

Ike smirked before reaching over to playfully ruffle the embarrassed swordsman's messy teal hair,

"It's okay. I still love you."

Marth was blushing furiously, suddenly feeling the need to hide away the other's clothing item under the blanket before turning fully around to properly greet their intruders,

"G-Good morning to you, as well, L-Lucas."

The commander chuckled softly as he gently rubbed his love's back to ease his discomfort, turning his attention once more to the blonde boy shyly standing beside an overly excited Squirtle.

"S-Sorry about that guys..."

The bluenettes smiled softly, understanding the boy's embarrassment and forgiving him easily.

"It happened again?!"

Suddenly, all four occupants of the small hotel room looked up to find an underdressed Red running through the doorway, catching himself on the frame before he toppled over in his quick haste to find his younger friend and his Pokémon.

The two blue swordsmen, along with Lucas and Squirtle snickered quietly at the older boy's frazzled state.

Then, Ike cleared his throat,

"It's okay Red...but, uh...you may have forgotten to put on a shirt on your way over."

"And pants," Marth giggled out.

The younger male blushed darkly, looking down to realize he was only adorned in the boxer shorts he had worn to bed the night before.

Then, everyone started laughing, including Red himself at his own ridiculousness,

"Well...I will most certainly go fix this...uh...problem. Come on, Lucas. Let's leave these two be—."

However, as the two boys and their turtle-like companion were making their way out the door, another crack of thunder boomed from outside, causing both Lucas and Squirtle to jump and scurry behind Red's legs.

And, Marth to gasp and tuck himself into Ike's side, his face mushing fearfully into the mercenary's neck.

For a brief moment, the Pokémon trainer and the commander shared a knowing smirk before the former gently led his two terrified companions into the hallway and to their bedroom, leaving the Crimean native to tend to his prince.

Ike pressed a soft kiss to the teal head up against his shoulder before leaning forward slightly, blindly digging below their shared comforter in search of something.

A moment later, the mercenary gave a small grin of success as he pulled out his red cape from underneath the mess of blankets before gently nudging the scared boy with it,

"Hey...it's okay."

Snuffling softly, Marth shyly peeked a sapphire eye out as he looked down at the soft item he was being poked with.

Before quickly snatching it from Ike's hands.

Said male laughed quietly before he wrapped a muscular arm comfortingly around the other.

The prince hesitantly looked out the window as he scooted himself closer to the taller swordsman, pressing a light kiss to the older male's neck in gratitude before tucking his face back into it.

Ike rubbed a soothing hand up and down the anxious boy's arm as he kissed him sweetly on the head once more, the two sitting quietly and comfortably for another twenty minutes until the clouds in the sky slowly began to part as the rain and thunder finally started to settle.

The Crimean native fondly looked down at the younger swordsman, only to realize Marth was beginning to fall asleep again.

The darker bluenette wanted to laugh at the cute sight, but he was honestly in desperate need of a shower.

After recuperating peacefully at the inn for the past four days, the mercenary believed it was finally time for the four of them to get a move on and finally meet up with Meta Knight, as well.

How?

The older bluenette had no clue.

But, he knew the armored puffball missed the prince and himself, just as much as Ike and Marth missed him.

Especially after leaving the hospital, the two warriors really started feeling the weight of not having their more assiduous companion by their side.

Sighing softly, cobalt eyes looked down to those half-lidded sapphire ones ready to drop into slumber once more.

Before Ike regretfully bounced his shoulder slightly to rouse the other.

Marth whimpered softly before squinting up at the commander in silent question.

The dark blue-haired soldier smiled kindly down at the younger before pressing a soft kiss to the royal's forehead,

"Will you be okay out here if I take a quick shower?"

In less than a minute, the young prince went from sleepy and ready for bed to shooting up like a bullet with eyes bugging out of his head as if they were under attack.

However, the shorter swordsman flushed lightly in embarrassment at his sudden panic, clearing his throat as he looked apologetically up at Ike.

The older male smiled sadly, brushing his fingers gently through the anxious boy's hair.

Other than the mercenary getting his full time to heal properly, the Crimean native had actually been the one to let themselves stay an extra day out of worry for the other.

Marth's separation anxiety only had decreased slightly since they left the hospital, and Ike had concerns in regards to both their safety and their younger companions' if the royal was too distracted going back out into danger.

He wanted to make sure everyone was alright and had a clear head before going into battle once more.

And everyone was for the most part.

Except for Marth.

The commander's heart hurt every time the younger male even looked at him with those wide, hesitant sapphire eyes.

Like the prince was doing now.

The young royal's hands were unconsciously gripping hold of Ike's pant leg, trembling slightly as he tried relaxing enough to let the older swordsman go.

Gently, Ike reached both of his own, larger hands down to peel the Altean native's from his person before holding them comfortingly for a moment as cobalt met glassy sapphire,

"Princess, it's okay. You know the drill. Five to ten minutes and I'm out. You wanna sit by the door again?"

Cheeks continuing to tint pink, the lighter bluenette bit his lip softly in thought before shaking his head,

"I-I...I'll be fine..."

The mercenary raised a questioning brow as he carefully looked over the other,

"You sure?"

Marth nodded once more, squeezing Ike's hands in his own for a moment before hesitantly letting go.

The commander smiled softly before leaning forward to press those sweet lips of the prince against his own, holding the other's cheek gently as they shared the tender moment.

Then, Ike removed himself from the bed as he made his way towards the bathroom, grabbing one of the provided, well-crafted cream colored shower towels hanging off to the side by the clothes closet.

Once the door shut, Marth gulped.

He managed to remain still for all of ten seconds before he grabbed the Crimean's red cape and scrambled his thin frame off of the queen sized mattress, stumbling as his bare feet hit the floor.

Then, he scurried quickly over to the lavatory, perching himself on the carpeted floor silently and tucking his body up against the closed door.

Letting out a quiet sigh, the young royal curled himself under the scarlet cloak in his hands before he patiently waited for his older companion to come out.

Suddenly, his body fell backward as the door abruptly opened,

"Aaah—!"

"Hey, I forgot to—oh shit!"

Shooting his upper body downward, a pair of muscular arms caught the surprised teal-haired swordsman just in time while the other was in the midst of his small decent.

 _'I should have expected this,'_ Ike thought to himself silently before he peered his concerned cobalt orbs down at the other,

"You okay?"

Marth looked up at the taller male with a sheepish expression, cheeks turning pink as he gave the Crimean native a shy smile,

"S-Sorry...?"

The mercenary simply shook his head in amusement before lifting the prince back up to his feet.

Said boy smiled appreciatively at the gesture before blushing darkly.

Ike was dressed in nothing but the shower towel tied loosely around his waist.

Smirking mischievously, the darker bluenette took a step closer to the bashful swordsman before casually glancing his lewd cobalt orbs fondly over the other,

"Ya know...if you wanted to see me naked, you could've just asked."

Sapphire eyes widened, the prince shocked and dismayed by the other's blunt suggestiveness before he shoved the older male away from him,

"N-No...no I didn't! I-I...you know why I was outside! N-Not...not because of...of _that!"_

Snickering quietly, the commander continued to grin playfully as he stumbled back a bit at the other's pushing.

Before his cheeks matched the prince's own as the towel around his waist suddenly caught onto the knob of the bathroom sink cabinet, where the garment tugged off him completely.

Marth gasped, a squeak of embarrassment eliciting from him as he clamped a hand over his eyes,

"I-Ike!"

The mercenary sheepishly rushed to pick up the shower towel and wrap it back around his nude person before clearing his throat.

He didn't intend for that to happen.

Wait.

 _He_ didn't.

"That was all _you,_ Princess!"

Marth gasped at him, face glowing redder and redder by the minute,

"W-What...! N-No! I-I...I didn't m-mean...no you—!"

"Perv."

The prince squeaked at such an accusation, hands flying to his hair in stress over their silly situation as he fumbled out explanations and apologies.

Unfortunately for the poor flabbergasted royal, Ike was getting way too much enjoyment out of this, crossing his arms over his bare chest as he watched the younger boy's cheeks burn three-hundred shades of red as he continued rambling on and on.

The mercenary let it go on for another minute before he reached out to grasp onto the frantic swordsman's arms,

"Hey, hey, hey...I'm only messing with you, love. Relax, I know you didn't mean it."

Marth halted at that before slowly looking up at Ike with a frown,

"You jerk!"

The teal-haired soldier then pulled himself away before crossing his arms in a pout.

Ike chuckled quietly as he tried to turn the other back around,

"Oh come on...you were so cute all flustered like that! You can't honestly blame me, Princess."

"Oh, yes I can." 

Rolling his eyes in exuberance, the Crimean finally managed to spin the blushing bluenette back around before pulling the other forward into a sudden kiss.

Marth jumped in surprise before rolling his own eyes as he leaned right into it.

* * *

They were all over the cockpit.

In _his_ ship.

Meta Knight growled lowly at the strange, flat beings as his two companions silently came up beside him.

"Who the hell are these guys?" The weapon-cladded solider on the Popstar Warriror's right whispered out harshly, reaching his hand down towards his pouch to retrieve another fragmentation grenade.

However, a white-gloved hand stopped him,

"As much as I have appreciated you blowing up our previous enemies back there, Snake, I cannot risk you blowing up the most salient space on this aircraft. We will need your...hands-on expertise for this coming fight, instead.”

The bearded man nodded silently, giving a slight smirk as he tucked away the grenade before balling his hands into fists, preparing for this next battle.

"Wait...what is... _that?"_

Gold and teal pairs of eyes glanced towards the raised paw of their Pokémon ally before turning their attention to the large, singular window of the Halberd’s pilot cabin.

Coming in through the dark, maroon clouds was another silver ship decorated in blue panels.

It was a few times smaller than the enemy one fighting the navy puffball's own beloved aircraft a week prior, a tiny jet capable of only carrying a single individual as it apparently had the same determination in taking down the Halberd as its larger counterpart, where it began shooting vibrant green missiles down the front deck of the ship.

"Dammit! What is the meaning of this?!" Meta shouted out angrily.

His grip around Galaxia tightened as he was about to begin thrusting his spiked sword into their current enemies in front of them supposedly controlling the large aircraft.

However, someone else beat him to it.

Arms clamping around one of the black, two-dimensional figures, Snake kept it in a choke hold for a few moments before body slamming it hard into the ground and ramming it through the side of the large window, causing that portion of the transparent glass to shatter.

The spherical soldier was appalled by that action,

"Are you crazy—!"

_"Meta Knight!"_

Suddenly, the round swordsman spun around at Lucario's desperate call before the eyes beneath his mask widened in horror at the two other figures bouncing along the other side of the partially intact window.

He quickly flew over, his eyes flashing white in shock as he continued to stare with worry out the transparent glass,

"N-Nana, Popo! What the _hell_ are you doing here?! You are supposed to be with Red and Lucas!"

However, the two children didn't seem to hear him as they continued to hold onto the upper ledge of the window while they dangled in the wind, staring right back at the Popstar resident in fear.

A paw calmly laid itself on the navy puffball's wing before a determined pair of ruby eyes shined down at Meta Knight,

"You remain here and steer us to safety," the Pokémon spoke quietly, pausing for a moment to glance up and watch as the weapon cladded soldier across from them hopped out the broken window to scope out the upper base of the Halberd.

Then, the canine-like warrior turned back to his concerned comrade,

"Snake appears to have taken care of the rest of those...strange beings. So, allow me to bring your friends to safety. Then, I will join the human in investigating who or what is now also firing at your ship."

Golden eyes looked up appreciatively at his blue and black coated ally before he placed a white gloved hand gently on the other's arm for a quick moment,

"Be safe."

Lucario turned to give the navy puffball a silent nod before hopping through the shattered glass and climbing across it to save Nana and Popo.

* * *

"Lucas, you just had a bath this morning. Please, do not step in the mud—no Ike! Do not encourage him! _Gods..."_

Red chuckled quietly beside the pouting prince, who's arms were crossed against the young royal's chest as he walked along side their other two mischievous companions, scowling in disapproval.

Lucas was hopping along, his red and yellow sneakers getting splashed with mud every now and then as he tried landing on every stone lined up above the small pond all four allies were currently traveling beside.

And, Ike was playfully following behind the blonde, his brown boots easily stepping over to each grey ledge. However, he would dip one of his shoe tips into the mud-covered water from the rain and teasingly flick some of it at the younger child in front of him.

This in turn would cause Lucas to giggle loudly before the boy would turn around to try and attempt the same maneuver on the mercenary.

Sapphire eyes rolled in annoyance, not happy that both freshly cleaned fighters were currently making a mess of themselves.

Thankfully, they were just about to enter one of the bathing and attire shops of the village they were currently residing in, where they needed to restock on soap, clothing, and the like before setting out later this evening.

"Come along Lucas, let's grab a couple of shirts and pants for the two of us," Red called out lightly, gaining the young blonde's attention before the boys left the two swordsmen to browse around.

Ike made his way over to the Altean native, smirking fondly at the other's aggravated expression.

"You better wipe those nasty boots of yours down before you enter. It would be inconsiderate to leave a mess for these poor people to clean—mpfff!"

Doing as told on the provided carpet just before the entrance doorway, the commander scuffed his feet against it as he leaned over to shut the bossy teal-haired boy up with a kiss.

Face flushing at the sudden romantic gesture, Marth cleared his throat as he tried regaining his composure,

"T-That...was uh...n-not necessary."

The darker bluenette chuckled quietly before extending his hand to the other,

"You liked it. Now, let's go get you some more girly shampoo for that hair of yours."

Blushing darkly, the younger male hesitantly slipped his hand into Ike's larger one before shifting himself closer to the taller swordsman.

Albeit their playful quarreling, the prince still felt the need to remain close to the other while the Crimean led them to the bathing section of the small market.

Cobalt eyes looked around the area warily, taken back by the extremely large, colorful variety of shampoos, conditioners, and body soaps lined up all along the wall.

Ike then watched in amusement as Marth carefully picked up a peach colored bottle, the royal popping open the lid and taking a sniff, seeming to enjoy the scent of the Honeysuckle flavored soap,

"Wow...this place is paradise for you, _Princess."_

Bashful sapphire eyes peered up at the man beside him before the younger swordsman released their intertwined hands to elbow Ike in the stomach.

The mercenary laughed quietly as he bent forward at the impact, ruffling the once again pouting bluenette's hair before he decided to roam around for a scent _he_ would prefer.

"W-Where are you going?"

Ike stopped in his tracks at the soft question, about to lift up a Forest Pine scented bottle of conditioner before turning to his teal-haired companion.

He frowned upon recognizing that anxious look on the other's face,

"Just looking at something for myself...don't worry, I'm not gonna stray too far, Princess. It's alright. Go continue looking for your girly soaps—."

Marth hurriedly placed the shampoo bottle he currently had in his hands down before walking over to Ike,

"N-No, it's fine...I-I'll just get whatever you—."

"Marth."

Said boy frowned as the commander suddenly spun him around before pushing the lighter bluenette back over to the soaps he was viewing,

"I will be fine. I am five feet away from you. Now, go have fun choosing what you want. I will be right over here."

"But—."

"Princess..."

Ike sighed quietly as he looked down at the anxious boy who was side-stepping in front of him. He really needed Marth to relax and realize that they will both be okay if they are separated for a short period of time. They were in a perfectly safe, small shop where even Lucas and Red could easily be seen across the way rummaging through shirt racks.

"I-I'm sorry...I just—."

The mercenary gently combed his fingers through the other's hair before bending down to pick up the Watermelon scented shampoo Marth was holding earlier and placing it back into the boy's hands,

"I know, I know...But, I want you to be brave for me and actually let yourself pick out what you want on your own, okay?"

Taking in a deep breath, the royal nibbled on his lip softly as he looked up at the other, sapphire eyes shining with uncertainty before the younger male relented,

"O-Okay..."

Smiling softly, Ike leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to the other's cheek before slowly walking back over to the more masculine array of soaps.

The young royal stood still, bottle of soap nervously fiddling in his grip as he silently watched the mercenary scan over the dark green container in his hands.

Before letting out a quiet sigh as he looked back down at the light jade one in his own.

Hesitantly opening the lid, Marth gave the shampoo a sniff before scrunching up his nose,

_'Watermelon may taste delightful, but its soap is anything but.'_

Placing the item gently down in its original spot, the Altean quietly walked over to another shelf full of pink, orange, and white colored containers before plucking the familiar pink one off the rack.

Peeling back the top, the teal-haired swordsman took another whiff before smiling fondly at the familiar scent.

It was the same strawberry soap him and the commander previously used when they bathed in the spring with Meta Knight.

Sapphire eyes suddenly looked solemnly down at the innocent bottle in his grip.

"I miss him too."

Startled by the deep voice behind him, Marth looked up to find Ike carrying a few green and red colored soap containers in his hands as he looked sadly down at the one in the prince's own.

Surprisingly enough, the royal was so distracted by his own thoughts he almost forgot about his anxiety away from the older male.

Clearing his throat, the Altean looked back down at the strawberry scented shampoo,

"You think he's okay?"

Sighing softly, Ike rested his head atop Marth's own for a moment before pressing a soft kiss to the other's teal head,

"I'm sure he is...he's Meta Knight. Honestly, if that round puffball could withstand our constant arguing, he can withstand anything."

The prince giggled quietly at that before shining his sapphire eyes lovingly into those cobalt orbs above him,

"I'm glad we don't fight too much anymore...your face is quite hideous when you're mad."

Ike gaped at him.

The mercenary suddenly placed down his shopping items along the countertop before jabbing his fingers into the royal's exposed sides,

"Oh, is that so?!"

Marth let out a surprised squeal, his eyes scrunching up as he tried twisting away from the commander's prying digits,

"Y-Yes...!"

Not caring that they were now making a scene, the darker bluenette continued to playfulły tickle the other as the royal squirmed mercilessly under his hold,

"How rude. What do you have to say for yourself, _Your Highness?"_

Marth shook his head, laughing loudly before he suddenly covered his mouth, cheeks flushing bright red as he noticed everyone looking at them,

"I-Ike..."

Noticing the other's shyness, the older male stopped his torment on the teal-haired warrior before looking up into the nosy pairs of eyes glancing at them warily.

The mercenary growled lowly, not liking the looks on some of their faces as he stepped in front of the Altean,

"Is there a problem?"

The moment the more muscular swordsman stepped forward, voice like venom towards their onlookers, the people dispersed immediately before going about their business, knowing it wise not to voice their opinions in front of the other.

Sighing in agitation, Ike turned back to a concerned looking Marth.

"W-why...um...were they looking at us like that?"

Cobalt eyes blinked at the question before the Crimean native gently tucked a loose teal strand of hair behind the other's ear,

"Because people are assholes...nothing for you to worry your head over, okay?"

Biting his lip, sapphire eyes glanced to the side, noticing a couple a few feet away smiling tensely at the two of them before the prince looked back up to Ike in worry,

"I-Is it because...w-we're um..."

"Yes."

Marth gasped in shock.

Before anger suddenly clouded over his eyes.

He shot the nastiest bitch face over to the man and woman still standing there, staring at them silently with eyes filled with disgust.

Snarling at them quietly, the young royal kept eye contact as he suddenly tugged down hard on Ike's collar and pulled the mercenary's lips into his own.

Cobalt eyes widened in surprise before the Crimean leaned into it, smirking softly when he saw the couple gasp in horror before shuffling out of the area and leaving the two swordsmen to their rightful peace.

 _"Wow,"_ Ike breathed out once Marth released the kiss, pride filling him as he fondly looked down at the huffing royal.

"Such disrespect...goodness Ike. I...I don't understand why...Hmpf! L-Let's just gather our things and get out of here—."

Suddenly, the commander rested his hands atop the frazzled male's shoulders,

"Hey now...we deserve every right to be here as everyone else. Do not let some stupid common folk ruin our day, okay? You just showed those two assholes a moment ago how fucking _incredible_ Prince Marth is. And...I am proud enough to waltz around here with you and that girly strawberry shampoo of yours. So, let's get what _we_ need and not give a flying fuck about anyone else."

With that, the commander picked up his chosen soap along with Marth's own, with said boy smiling shyly at the other's loving words.

Then, Ike proudly intertwined their hands.

* * *

"That seems to be all of them...but...where the hell is all of that purple muck going?"

Lucario followed his human companion's line of sight, watching as the grotesque violent substance of their fallen, flat enemies seemed to swarm together on the deck before slipping away under the floor boards.

The Pokémon huffed,

"Odd."

Suddenly, the two became bombarded by another round of green missiles from the small aircraft still zipping through the clouds at incredible speed as it continued assaulting the Halberd.

The blue and black coated Pokémon growled,

"Now, we must take care of this."

Snake nodded in agreement, unstrapping the AIM-92 stinger from his back and aiming it towards their new foe.

Both soldiers then smirked upward as Meta Knight released another round of yellow missiles towards the enemy ship, nicking the wing of the small jet in the process.

However, before Snake could take a shot of his own with his prepared weaponry, something flashed up into the air towards the blue and silver plane,

"Is that...a _person?"_

Ruby eyes squinted up, silently asking the same question as the two allies watched the thin figure land roughly on the flying aircraft before punching straight through its window.

Even the Popstar Warrior stopped his own firing from within the cockpit at the sight.

Then, all three watched as both the pilot and the mysterious man fell to the deck while the small ship fell down into the mountains below.

Appearing unharmed, the two figures recovered quickly before suddenly charging towards each other.

Both Snake and Lucario glanced at one another before silently sneaking their way over to get a better view of the oncoming fight between the peculiar beings.

However, a moment later, teal and ruby eyes widened in surprise when a lady in a bright pink dress pushed herself in between the two opponents.

“What the...? Where the fuck did _she_ come from?!” The bearded man whispered out harshly to his fur covered companion before watching as the spunky blonde held out two cups of tea to the fighting warriors, as if everything was all good and well.

Like they weren’t in the middle of a damn apocalyptic atmosphere on a battlefield aircraft or anything of that nature.

Suddenly, the mysterious man from before seemed to tense before he slowly turned in their direction.

Snake and Lucario gulped before scooting themselves more behind the metallic crates they were currently using to conseal themselves,

“You...uh...think he saw us—?”

“Yes. I did.”

Both soldiers whipped their heads around in surprise, not expecting the ninja-like being to abruptly show up behind them.

He was right on the other end of the deck just a moment ago!

However...the other’s voice sounded a bit more feminine than they were expecting.

“Oh, Zel—Sheik! Come back over here! You didn’t finish...your...oh! Hello!”

Heels clicked against the steel flooring of the upper ship deck before the chipper girl from earlier revealed herself from behind the crates Snake and Lucario were crouched behind.

They both looked over her uncomfortably, immediately noticing the obvious sovereign crown atop her bright blonde head.

“Princess...please stay back. I do not know who these two are or why they were...spying on us.”

The mysterious man crossed his arms over his small chest as his steely, magenta colored eyes continued to glare at the man and Pokémon on the ground.

However, the happy-go-lucky royal simply stepped in front of the suspicious ninja before playfully putting a hand on the other’s shoulder,

“Oh! Don’t mind her gentlemen! She’s just _pretending_ to be scary. We won’t hurt you as long as you tell us why you were hiding from us.”

“Wait...you are a woman?” Lucario questioned quietly.

Sheik sighed in annoyance, glaring angrily at her joyful companion for revealing her true gender before she looked back down at the questioning warriors,

“Yes. Now, _why_ were you spying on us?”

The Pokémon cleared his throat before slowly raising his paws in defense,

“It was not our intention. We were merely trying to rid of that ship you took down so...impressively. This aircraft was wrongly being attacked—.”

“No it wasn’t.”

Suddenly, four pairs of eyes turned to another figure walking up beside Sheik, his orange, fur coated hands gently holding a steaming cup of tea as his green eyes gazed over the two still incredibly confused soldiers on the ground,

“I am Fox McCloud. And, that ship that you all were trying to take down was _mine._ However, there have been these incredibly annoying, flat black creatures in control of this one, with purple goo always seeming to trail behind them.”

Lucario and Snake glanced up at him before the latter responded,

“Yeah. Well, we took care of them. This is Meta Knight’s ship, and he is now back in control of it and currently trying to fly us back to safety. You got anyone else a part of your little heist here?”

The pilot’s jade eyes locked onto suspicious teal before sighing softly,

“Well...I have one colleague of mine who I’ve reached out to already. He should be here at any moment...,” Fox replied before trailing off as he suddenly noticed something move in the corner of his eye,

“Um...fellas...if what you say is true...then...would you care to explain... _that?”_

Both soldiers, along with Sheik and her blonde companion, looked over the crates to find the violet sludge from earlier suddenly reforming into a large mass in the center of the ship deck.

Snake and Lucario stood up immediately, the latter’s black paws glowing blue with aura in preparation as the bearded warrior beside him pulled out a few fragmentation grenades along with strapping back his AIM-92 stinger and replacing it with his RPG-7.

“Princess Peach, stay behind me.”

Bright blue eyes of the royal watched as Sheik then stepped in front of her, needles collecting within the palms of the ninja’s hands and ready for use as the two women together looked up along with everyone else to find their new enemy formulating into a large and colorful robotic one.

“What the...how is that possible?” Snake muttered quietly before unclipping one of his grenades.

Fox stepped forward, tossing his finished tea to the side before holding his hand-gun out in front of him, ready to shoot.

Before he suddenly glanced up to find another, familiar jet zooming just above their current location, a body ejecting itself out of it before the second pilot landed bedside the fur coated fighter.

“Falco.”

The bird-like creature nodded to the other in acknowledgment,

“Fox.”

Snake rolled his eyes at the quiet engagement before raising the oval object within his hands above his head,

“Great. Now that we all know each other's names.

Let’s terminate this son of a bitch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing about weapons, so I had to look up what Snake actually uses in order to incorporate them into this story lmao (and apologies to anyone who may be sensitive to the topic of dangerous weaponry) 
> 
> ALSO, I totally left out Nana and Popo last chapter BY ACCIDENT *facepalms*
> 
> So, I hope you enjoyed my totally SMOOTH transition of having them secretly climb aboard the Halberd instead XD 
> 
> Sorry for the low amount of fluff this chapter provided, since I did a switch-a-roo on leveling out the focus more on MK and his buddies and FINALLY getting them closer to meeting his favorite blue-haired swordsmen once again. 
> 
> AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING COMMENTS, AND KUDOS, AND READING, AND OVERALL SUPPORT EVERYONE. 
> 
> Thank you so so much, I love you all <3 
> 
> (And, now I can actually focus on studying for my lab quiz that I have tomorrow XD)
> 
> Until next update! (which, lmao, I’ve already started working on BEFORE I even finished this chapter XD) 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning: This chapter will contain mild violence, along with the next chapter (however, it will be a bit more intense). So, if you are sensitive, I do apologize. 
> 
> With that, 
> 
> I hope you are still able to enjoy Chapter 17 :)

"Ike."

Silence.

"Ike!"

Quiet mumbling was heard along with light shuffling of feet under a red cape.

But that was it.

_"Ike!"_

Moaning quietly, the mercenary frowned softly at the harsh whispering and constant shoving before he finally managed to peel his eyes open.

Before being bombarded by a pair of wide sapphire orbs.

"Mmm...Princess? What...what are you doing up?"

Said male bit his lip softly, shifting subtly before looking towards the outside of the secluded cave they were currently occupying with their other two dozing companions,

"Um..."

When the other didn't seem like he was going to continue, Ike sat up groggily with a rub to his eyes before he squinted them at the apprehensive royal,

"What is it? You have a bad dream?"

Turning his attention back to the commander, Marth shook his head in the negative before whispering out,

"N-No...nothing like that...I...uh...I have to go."

The Crimean tilted his head in confusion, not understanding at all what the other meant,

"Go? Where the _hell_ do you think you're going this time at night, Marth? Plus...we can't leave Red and Lucas here alone either...Why—?"

"No no no...not...gah!"

Cobalt eyes looked over the other in concern as the prince seemed to be getting impatient with him,

"Spit it out, Princess. What is so urgent that you must disturb my fucking beauty sleep?"

The mercenary was getting a bit aggravated, as well. He was exhausted from their first few days of travel, and Marth waking him in the middle of the night for no reason was not helping.

However, the boy simply whined in frustration before nodding towards the outside of the cave, his sapphire eyes glancing towards a pair of bushes and back to Ike,

"I...I need to...ahem... _go."_

The commander stared at him for another moment before it suddenly clicked,

"Oh! Wait...you can go by yourself, Princess! You...you still don't need me to...do you?"

Marth bit his lip, his cheeks flushing pink in embarrassment,

"I...w-well...we were safe back in the village...b-but...now that we're out here...I...I'm just afraid you—."

Sighing tiredly, Ike reached over to gently caress one of the royal's nervously fidgeting hands,

"It's alright."

Sapphire eyes shined gratefully up to soft, understanding cobalt orbs before he shifted uncomfortably once more,

"So uh...c-can we...?"

"Oh! Yeah! I-I'm getting up, I'm moving. Come on, love."

Groaning quietly, Ike stood up on his aching legs as he pulled the younger male to his feet.

The commander then quickly ushered the two of them out of the cave before watching as Marth scurried behind the bushes to take care of his business.

"Make it quick, Princess," Ike called out quietly in amusement before leaning against the cave wall tiredly.

He rubbed at his eyes with another yawn before frowning softly.

The prince had seemed to be doing okay since they first began the majority of their journey a few days prior.

Yes, he was a bit more on guard when it came to the mercenary, blocking off every Subspace enemy within a yard of the older male, but the Altean native was doing better nonetheless.

And, they were once more back in an area of endless, bland terrain. However, there were many more cave seclusions than before, along with most of the ground being composed of sediment rather than dusty, unkempt sand and a few varied, scattered trees.

With their next Subspace enemy target being just in their sights.

A giant, dark violet sphere just like all the others was looming ominously above a sea of water below the auburn crusted cliffside a few miles northward from the four allies' current location.

But, neither Ike nor Marth had any idea on how to go about taking it down, or on how they were even supposed to meet up with Meta Knight in order to do so.

They hadn't seen the Halberd since their round companion departed, and as more days wore on, both bluenettes were becoming worried about the Popstar Warrior's survival.

With a quiet huff, Ike rubbed tiredly at his eyes, ridding himself of his stressful thoughts before he heard a familiar pair of footsteps approach him.

The mercenary then smiled softly as the bashful teal-haired swordsman stood on his tip toes to press a gentle kiss to the darker bluenette's cheek.

"You really gotta stop drinking so much before bed, Princess," the older male whispered out playfully with a small smirk.

Marth rolled his eyes in annoyance,

"Hydration is important, Ike—."

"Yeah, well, so is sleep."

The young royal simply frowned at the other's underlying sarcasm, unamused.

Ike chuckled fondly at the other before pressing his warm lips against the prince's downturned ones, pinning the shorter male lightly against the cave wall whilst doing so.

The Altean moaned quietly, enjoying the sudden lustful attention on him before his breath hitched worriedly when a hand traveled its way along his chest and down his side.

The commander quietly released their kiss before nuzzling his nose into the other's neck when he felt the anxious boy tense in his arms,

"It's alright, Princess...I'm not gonna do anything. M' just holding you."

Marth gulped nervously as his sapphire eyes locked onto cobalt,

"I-I thought...you...you wanted to go to b-bed?"

The Crimean native smiled lovingly at the confused and concerned swordsman before leaning in for one last kiss, grasping the other's hands lightly as he did so,

"I do. But...how am I to fall back to sleep without having my goodnight's kiss first, hmm?"

The prince giggled shyly at that, his cheeks tinting pink as the taller male pulled him back inside the cave.

"Come on. I'm exhausted and I'm sure you are, as well."

The lighter bluenette nodded silently, a wide yawn escaping past his lips as he rubbed tiredly at his eyes.

The mercenary smiled softly at the sight before he gently tugged the younger male back down to their small resting spot on the ground, tucking the royal up against his chest once more.

Marth hummed in quiet contentment as he scooted his back up against the dark blue-haired soldier's front before grasping hold of the other's arm draped over his chest.

Ike burrowed his face into the Altean native's soft, teal hair before pressing a gentle kiss to it.

In moments, the snuggled pair of bluenettes were fast asleep.

* * *

“We are set and ready.”

Lucario nodded at his round companion before walking towards a section of colored control panels, switching on a few buttons before the bottom of the Halberd rumbled lowly.

Shifting his own position, Meta Knight held one, white gloved hand atop the control wheel while the other gently pushed the yoke forward, causing the large aircraft to bump lightly within the dark maroon clouds it was currently surrounded in.

Then, the ship began to rise in altitude.

With a grin hiding itself beneath the Popstar Warrior’s mask, golden eyes glinted with delight as the spherical soldier proceeded to mess with a few more buttons and gears before his beloved ship began to fly forward once more.

Albeit the light turbulence, the Halberd was able to hold up its own.

Now, all Meta Knight needed to do was turn the damn thing around and head back to leveled ground.

He couldn’t wait to see Ike and Marth again.

It had been too long.

And, after discovering that the two blue-haired swordsmen had gone missing, the round knight was becoming more and more anxious over their whereabouts.

Were they okay?

Did Lucas and Red find them?

Were all four of them finally together?

Are they even...

Alive?

Suddenly, the concerned swordsman felt a paw gently lay itself atop his wing,

“Worrying over your friends again?”

Gold met ruby for a moment before Meta Knight turned his eyes back towards the dimly lit sky ahead of them, giving the Pokémon a silent nod.

The canine-like creature let out a quiet sigh before turning to look over the rest of their companions quietly mingling in the back of the large cabin,

“Well...you have done so much for all of us here, Meta Knight. You must at least let that knowledge help keep your fears at ease for the time being—.”

“I cannot...I...I left them alone to fend for themselves in an outlandish territory...where Gods know what could have been lying within...and...yes, Marth and Ike are fantastic swordsmen...but, that does not mean danger cannot still come to them. Lucario—.”

Suddenly, the rambling warrior glanced up when he noticed a cerulean glow began kindling itself from black paws as the Pokémon beside him gently hovered them around the knight,

“You must ease your mind...you cannot concentrate nor successfully seek out your lost friends with the amount of stress flowing from your aura. Relax. We will find all four of your young allies, I promise you.”

The Popstar resident blinked at that before he started feeling a lightness about him, his fur coated companion using his powers to help release the tension from within the spherical soldier.

Meta Knight hummed contently, shutting his eyes for a moment as he let out a breath,

“You are right.”

Lucario smirked.

His aura-handling abilities were beginning to work like a charm on his short comrade.

He let himself remain by the other’s side a few moments longer, offering his powers to ease the round swordsman and allow the knight to keep at his task to bring all of them to safety.

“It has been a pleasure to have become your acquaintance.”

Ruby eyes blinked at the quiet acclaim before Lucario slowly lowered his arms, the azure glow in his paws finally fading.

When silence continued, Meta Knight turned his body slightly while he continued to steer so his golden eyes could shine fondly up towards his taller companion.

“How do you mean?” Lucario questioned softly.

The round warrior looked at him for another moment before shifting his gold eyes back on the sky,

“You say how much I have accomplished...but, you cannot forget to praise yourself. You are a very strong, talented, and loyal asset to the team we have established together...I am grateful for you, Lucario.”

The Pokémon bowed his head at such a forward compliment from the other before he let out a sad sigh, unsure of whether to reply or not.

Meta Knight picked up on it,

“Does that trouble you?”

Lucario looked up to see the back of the spherical soldier turned to him as the other continued to steer the ship, but he knew the Popstar resident had his full attention on him.

The fur coated soldier let out another breath before glancing his red eyes towards the open window,

“It does not...but, your words are...quite generous. It is...just a bit hard for me to take in such appreciation.”

A small silence fell between the two.

Before the canine-like fighter suddenly frowned upon hearing a low chuckle come from the spherical swordsman.

The Pokémon growled quietly, thinking the knight was poking fun at him.

However, Meta Knight sensed the other’s misunderstanding before turning to him, his golden orbs full of fondness rather than amusement,

“You remind me of myself.”

Slowly, Lucario released his own tension, letting his ears fall downward as he silently backed down,

“Oh.”

The knight chuckled quietly once more before he went back to his task at hand,

“It is quite alright. But...I understand how you feel. Emotions are something of a...mystery of sorts. Overwhelming and yet...ambivalent. It is very hard to accept them from others...and even more so from yourself. But, we do what we can, right?”

Sighing softly, Lucario thought it over for a moment before quietly stepping up beside his round comrade, placing a gentle paw against the other’s left wing once more,

“Right.”

* * *

Shifting quietly, a soft groan was heard before cobalt eyes slowly opened in bewilderment.

Frowning, Ike noticed the sun was barely peeking its way over the horizon as he questioned himself as to why he was suddenly being awakened once more.

He peered down to find the prince still snuggled up in his arms, where the other must have rolled over at some point in his sleep as he was now snoring softly into the Crimean's chest.

The darker bluenette smiled fondly before pressing a gentle kiss to Marth's cheek.

The younger male snuffled quietly before a pair of sapphire eyes squinted up into the commander's own,

"I-Ike...? You...'kay?"

Said boy chuckled quietly before kissing the royal's parted lips,

"Yes, love. Go back to sleep."

The prince mumbled tiredly, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly before he cuddled himself further into the older male's chest, conking back out in a short amount of minutes.

Ike let his smile linger for another moment before it morphed back into a scowl.

Something didn't feel right.

He pulled the sleeping bluenette closer to his chest as he began to scan their section of the cave, including its visible outside barrier where he was earlier and awake with the prince.

Then, he turned his head around to check on Lucas and Red.

Before gasping quietly.

Both boys were gone.

Gulping nervously, Ike looked over the abandoned area warily, finding both Red's and Lucas' jackets still sprawled out on the ground along with their bag of provisions.

But, the older boy's yellow backpack of Pokémon had vanished along with them.

The commander then looked back down to his dozing companion as he nibbled his lip worriedly.

Suddenly, a light rustle was heard coming from outside the cave.

His grip growing tighter around the unconscious boy in his arms, Ike growled protectively as his cobalt eyes stared ahead into the early morning abyss.

But, nothing was there.

Glancing to his left, the darker bluenette noticed Ragnell sitting innocently on the ground where he had left it.

Looking down at the young royal once more, Ike bent down to press a soothing kiss to the other's teal head before slowly and carefully extracting his body away from Marth's own.

The Crimean native then stood up swiftly before stealthily reaching for his golden blade.

Black hilt held tightly within his grasp, the mercenary chanced a worried glance towards his sleeping partner before hesitantly stepping his way to the front of the cave.

However, he stopped immediately when a wave of uneasiness came over him.

Breathing in deeply, cobalt eyes glared ahead as the commander planted his feet firmly into the ground.

Then, in an instant, Ike spun on his heel, Ragnell extending out in front of him as he readied for an attack from the sudden, unwelcoming presence that presented itself from within the cave.

But, he faltered.

"W-What the—."

Cobalt eyes widened in fear as the Crimean native tried comprehending what he was looking at.

The being was so familiar to him, and yet...so foreign.

Its spiked hair was nothing new to the commander, its tattered cape falling messily behind its shoulders was something of taste and laziness, and its weapon was large and powerful, and even covered in shades of violet shadow, Ike would know it anywhere.

But.

Those eyes.

Bright red and fully encompassed with nothing except a malevolent fire.

Were something of incognizance.

However, that is not what truly caused the darker bluenette to halt in his onslaught against this new enemy.

It was the dark, shadowed sword resting portentously against the sleeping prince's neck.

One nick, and Marth's breathing stops.

The dark figure before the hesitant mercenary gave out a low chuckle, seemingly glad to have caught the older swordsman's attention.

Ike took a step forward, the proper version of Ragnell held steady in his own grasp as the commander grit his teeth in anger,

"I swear, you try _anything_ and I'll—!"

Suddenly, his threat was cut short when he felt the sharp edge of another sword being held in warning against the back of his neck.

"Ah ah ah...don't even think about it, _handsome."_

Cobalt eyes widened to the size of saucers as Ike slowly turned his head to glance back at his new threat.

If the commander thought seeing the dark version of himself was surprise enough.

He was mistaken.

Nothing could have prepared him for the dark shadow that was now standing uncomfortably close up against his back.

The body of this newcomer was identically exquisite as the one sleeping innocently on the floor.

But, those burning, glowing red eyes of corruption were nothing like their sapphire counterpart.

The shorter shadow pressing the blade into his neck gave a sinister smile,

"Why don't you be a dear and drop that dud of a sword of yours, hmm? No one will get hurt...as long as you...obey."

Ike grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

The other's words dripped venom.

But.

They were still spoken in the voice of his lover.

Then, the taller swordsman watched as the dark shadow in front of him brought its own blade closer to the Altean's throat, causing Marth to moan uncomfortably with a shift.

But, the boy remained asleep.

The mercenary released an unconscious whimper, his eyes watering slightly as he came to a decision.

He had no choice.

Ragnell fell to the floor with a thud.

The figure behind him smirked before the blade against his neck was pulled away,

"Good boy. Now, pick _him_ up. And, come with us. Don't. Try. Anything. Or...," the shadow suddenly trailed off as it walked itself in a slight, antagonizing strut in front of the mercenary, causing the two to be face to face,

"You'll get front row seats to my—excuse me— _his_ demise."

The darkened version of Falchion pointed directly towards the teal-haired warrior unconscious on the ground.

Then, the dark shadow caressed a hand along Ike's exposed side, trailing it up to the captured soldier's chest before the evil being held the commander's face in its hand, forcing the helpless male to look directly into the reddened replica of the prince's eyes,

"Now now...why the long face? We won't do anything to your precious little prince as long as you listen to us...understand?"

Ike growled, trying to pull away.

But, the other wouldn't have it.

The shadow's painful grip was much stronger than his counterpart,

_"Understand?"_

The commander still refused to respond.

Then, the dark being ahead of him, with the sleeping royal's life in its hands, cleared its throat,

"I would listen to him, big boy. He can be a bit...feisty when he doesn't get his way. I mean...you should know how _royalty_ is."

The dark figure still holding the Crimean native's face gave a smirk at his other shadowed companion's words.

Before he put his face up close and personal to Ike's own, causing their lips to barely brush.

"What's it gonna be, _handsome?"_ It whispered out huskily, enjoying the terrible plight it was fatally putting on the taller swordsman.

The mercenary leaned his head back as much as he could, clenching his teeth together before hissing out,

"Don't. Touch. Him."

The shorter, shadowed being simply chuckled before finally pulling back,

"He's all yours."

With that, Ike shoved past the dark prince as he rushed over to cradle his arms around its unconscious opposite before carefully tugging Marth against his chest and lifting the sleeping boy into his arms.

Both shadows chuckled maliciously as they grabbed both Ragnell and Falchion before turning towards a very angry Ike.

The shadowed mercenary stepped forward, both versions of Ragnell easily being held in his violet hands as he brushed his upper body up against the one being held in the commander's own.

Before he glanced down at the sleeping face of the Altean,

"He's a little doll isn't he? I mean...just imagine what you could _do_ with him...it's quite surprising that you two haven't—."

"Shut up."

The dark being chuckled at that,

"Aww what's the matter? Can't—."

"I said. Shut. _Up."_

His shadowed self continued to jeer at him, causing Ike to back up as his grip around the royal tightened immensely.

The mercenary was not at all okay with the way the dark being was eyeing the boy in his arms.

"Oh goodness, quit toying with him Aiku. We need to get going."

The taller shadow rolled his eyes at the other before giving the commander a wink, licking its lips as it glanced one last time at the sleeping prince.

The Crimean native growled, wanting nothing more but to shield Marth's entire body from the other's lascivious looks.

_"Aiku."_

The dark mercenary growled at the second call to its name before it final turned its back on the commander,

"You're just jealous because you want him all to yourself, Marusu...," the taller being began as it walked up to its shadowed companion before pressing his front up against the other's backside as he leaned down into the dark prince's ear,

_"Patience."_

The shorter shadow grunted in disapproval before its red eyes glanced towards Ike's disgusted cobalt orbs.

He may be looking at dark, identical versions of him and the prince, but their nasty display was probably the worst possible thing he had ever seen.

Marusu smirked sinisterly at the older male's uneasiness,

_"Fine."_

Aiku chuckled darkly before pressing a kiss against his shadowed companions cheek, also turning his attention back to the darker bluenette standing uncomfortably beside them.

Ike grit his teeth before looking away.

Suddenly, the boy below him let out a soft snuffle before he curled his body more inward, nuzzling his teal head into the commander's neck as he slept on.

The mercenary looked down, biting his lip as his eyes watered.

He needed to keep the other safe.

Wherever these dark beings were to lead them.

Marth needed to be protected.

Especially from Aiku.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this is like, a “calm before the storm” type chapter. 
> 
> I know...we are finally reaching the homestretch, and of course, I couldn’t complete our tale without one final skirmish. :D (go ahead, sue me for the feels) 
> 
> Anyhoozle...I really like Lucario and well...I couldn’t help myself and made him and MK “besties” :D 
> 
> And, yes, "Aiku" and "Marusu" are the Japanese fan-made version of Ike and Marth. I needed to give a name to their darker selves, because I didn't want my writing to become to confusing to you guys. So, I hope I did okay! 
> 
> Sooooo NEWS: 
> 
> I believe this story will end with 20 chapters with the final chapter being an Epilogue of sorts. But...goodness, we have all been on this ride for a long time and it’s going to hurt finally getting off. 
> 
> But, I just would like to thank you all who have stayed along with it, have given me beautiful supportive comments, lovely kudos, and left bookmarks and subscriptions. <3 
> 
> Just...thank you. You are amazing readers and I could not be more grateful for you. <3
> 
> HOWEVER. You will not see the last of me! I have more works planned and in store, which I will elaborate more on in the final chapter. 
> 
> For now, 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed Chapter 17. 
> 
> Until next update! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **WARNING: This chapter will contain more violence than the last chapter, and a very small, mild attempt at sexual assault (I apologize to anyone who is sensitive to such things :'( ...I am absolutely not a supporter of people being attacked in either manner. This has been included in sole purpose for this story, not for any biased liking to such horrid deeds--also, this will be the very last warning this story will have) 
> 
> Ahem...in other news...
> 
> 100 KUDOS?!
> 
> WHAT?! 
> 
> YOU. GUYS. ARE. AMAZING. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and all of your support <3
> 
> Now, onto the story :3

Ike recoiled in disgust before he felt the tip of a sword nudge lightly against his back once more.

He growled lowly, glancing behind him at the sinister pair of glowing red eyes only hidden slightly behind an accompanying pair of bangs.

Then, the commander turned his attention back to the small and obscure, run down shack of violet shadow and darkness Aiku was currently leading the four of them to.

Honestly, the nasty place stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the mostly empty terrain.

Approaching the rickety door, where the hinges were barely holding on to the frame itself, the dark mercenary peeled it open before nodding its head towards the inside.

Ike stopped.

No way in hell was he going in there.

Not knowing what could be lying within.

Gods.

He would not allow himself to put Marth in any possible danger.

Unfortunately, the older male was left with no choice when Marusu pressed the tip of the darkened version of Falchion harder against his back.

Gritting his teeth in anger, the commander grunted agitatedly before pulling the sleeping prince closer into his chest protectively.

Then, furious cobalt met lewd, fiery red orbs as the Crimean native passed by Aiku holding the door open for them.

The taller shadowed being only payed Ike mind for a moment before glancing down to the unconscious swordsman salaciously, biting its lip in wanting—

“My eyes are up here, asshole.”

Aiku shut its own for a moment, a mischievous smirk crawling across its lips before the dark being opened its eyes once more, giving the darker bluenette a patient, yet baleful look as it puffed up its chest in a dominant stance,

“Aw, what? You can’t... _share?”_

Cobalt eyes widened in horror at the other’s underlying, detestable thoughts before they clouded over in pure outrage as the commander growled loudly before ramming his shoulder hard into the provoking shadow’s chest.

Aiku slammed into the unsteady door it had been leaning against, causing the worn down structure to rip off its hinges completely as the dark mercenary winced at the unexpected impact.

And, at the strength of its counterpart.

Suddenly, Marusu released its sword, the dark weapon disappearing into thin air as the shadowed prince pulled Ike into a tight choke hold, causing the older male to gasp in surprise as his grip on Marth became loose,

“Aiku! _Now!”_

With that, the now furious shadow nodded to its dark companion, readjusting itself for a moment before walking right in front of the commander wriggling desperately in Marusu’s incredibly painful hold.

Then, the dark prince shoved the mercenary forward before it slammed its knee hard behind Ike’s right one, causing the Crimean to yelp in surprise before he fell to the ground, the sleeping royal slipping from his hold.

Before the Altean was suddenly caught in the arms of another.

Now being pinned down to the floor by Marusu, the dark blue-haired swordsman watched in horror as the love of his life—

The innocent prince full of nothing but tenderness—

Was now being held in the arms of the libidinous shadowed being.

Aiku.

It snickered menacingly, enjoying the look of absolute dread and hopelessness flooding through those desperate cobalt orbs just beyond its boots.

Then, the dark mercenary raised a hand to gently caress the sleeping face now propped up against its own shoulder.

However, the touch only caused Marth to whimper with an uncomfortable shift, the boy seeming to know even whilst in sleep that the being holding him wasn’t _his_ Ike.

“D-Don’t—!” The commander hissed out angrily, his voice cracking.

Before a violet, gloved hand abruptly shoved itself up against his mouth.

Aiku’s eerie smirk, however, did not deter from the mercenary as it spoke,

“Marusu. Take care of him why don’t you?” It began before looking lustfully down at the dozing prince in its arms,

“While I...have a little _fun_ with this one.”

The shadowed being holding the squirming commander on the ground chuckled darkly as its red, malevolent eyes peered down into wary cobalt,

“With pleasure.”

However, just as Marusu was pulling the mercenary back up to his feet, Ike growled angrily before stepping hard on the shorter shadow’s exposed foot, causing the dark prince to yelp in surprise and release him.

Then, the commander spun on his heel before punching the shadow straight in the face.

Hard.

Marusu stumbled back before falling to the ground.

That action stung Ike only slightly, because although it wasn’t truly Marth he just hurt, the being was still shaped in the identical body of his beloved.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard before a low growl elicited right behind the Crimean native’s ear.

Although filled entirely with fear, adrenaline was the only thing keeping Ike from falling into it.

He turned swiftly.

Only to stop in his tracks.

An incredibly furious Aiku was chest to chest with him.

But, Ike could care less as his cobalt orbs shifted and honed in on something more important.

_Someone._

Marth was unharmed and still sound asleep.

But.

He was now locked inside a cage.

Ike gulped uncomfortably at the sight.

Using the swordsman’s sudden shock and fear for the younger male as an opening, Aiku smirked before wrapping its hand tightly around the Crimean native’s throat.

The darker bluenette choked in surprise before clawing at the dark mercenary’s grasp as it pushed Ike up against the disgusting wall of the shack.

Then, in the corner of his eye, the commander saw a limping Marusu prop up the broken door, shutting them in before turning on a small, old fashioned light bulb hanging pathetically from the ceiling.

That’s when the mercenary noticed there were three other cages lain about the room, where he noticed the two on the far left contained two familiar pairs of eyes that were staring right back at him in fear,

“R-Red...L-Luca—?!”

However, the two boys gasped when Aiku’s grip suddenly grew stronger around the commander’s throat when he tried to call out to them.

Ike gasped out, his eyes squeezing shut as he struggled to remove himself from the other’s strong hold.

The shadowed mercenary smirked before its face suddenly filled with concern as it glanced over to an injured Marusu walking over to them, said dark prince rubbing at its badly bruised cheek.

Ike had to look away.

He knew it wasn’t Marth.

But, _Gods,_ his heart hurt at the pain covering the other’s face.

It was the same look his love had given him on multiple occasions when the prince was injured himself.

Speaking of.

A hush suddenly fell over the room when a quiet moan was heard coming from the far right.

From Marth’s cage.

Ike gulped.

_‘Shit.’_

It was only a matter of time before the young royal finally woke up.

Aiku’s grip suddenly loosened from his throat before the shadow aggressively spun Ike around and shoved the mercenary’s front roughly up against the wall,

“Try one more thing, and I will slit little Princey’s throat. Got it?”

Ike growled with a squirm.

Before relenting with a small nod as he heard Marth let out a quiet whimper.

The boy was waking up.

Aiku huffed as it released the commander, looking worriedly to Marusu for a moment before allowing the other to step up and grab the captive swordsman’s crossed arms.

The dark prince growled into the mercenary’s ear before roughly dragging him over to the empty cage next to Marth’s own, clamping a hand painfully over the darker bluenette’s mouth once more.

That’s when sapphire eyes finally peeled themselves open.

The prince rubbed at them tiredly as he sat up.

Before hitting his head on something hard,

“Gah! What the...?”

Marth blinked a few more times before his eyes widened in fear once he realized he was trapped inside a cage.

Alone.

“I-Ike?!”

The mercenary whimpered, still trying to wriggle free as he heard the desperation in the anxious Altean’s voice.

The younger was terrified and there was nothing he could do to console him.

However, the prince seemed to hear the quiet muffling as he shuffled over to the front of the cage, trying to look out with the dim amount of light provided by the rickety, hanging lamp.

Sapphire eyes suddenly filled with horror as they finally locked onto fearful cobalt,

“IKE!”

Said male growled, wanting nothing more than to run over to Marth.

But, Aiku’s threat was still heavy in the air.

So, all he could do was squirm helplessly in Marusu’s arms as he tried his best to give the teal-haired swordsman reassurance with his eyes.

Nonverbally expressing that they were fine.

This was all fine.

Oh, but Marth was not having any of it.

The younger swordsman growled before banging on the cage door as he shouted,

“Let him go!”

However, he couldn’t see who exactly was holding Ike back, but he just needed to distract them long enough so they could let his love go.

Suddenly, the prince heard a soft pair of footsteps approach his cage from the left.

Marth gulped nervously, but stood his ground as he refused to stop his banging, wanting nothing more than to free Ike from their sudden captors.

Then, a dark chuckle was heard,

“Hey now...relax. This is no way for a prince to behave, now is it?”

The royal gasped before his assault on the cage door stopped.

He couldn’t see who was talking.

But, it sounded a lot like—

“Leave him alone you son of a bitch! Don’t you _fucking_ touch him!”

Ike.

The prince warily looked over to see that the Crimean had managed to get his mouth free as the figure holding him back finally stepped the two of them forward and more into the light.

Marth gasped, covering a hand over his mouth as a pair of glowing red eyes locked onto his own.

That...can’t be possible.

“Ike...w-what...what’s going on...?”

The commander stomped his foot in frustration, his brows bending in anguish.

He hated the obvious fear in the other’s voice as he glared at Marusu’s eerie eyes focusing on the prince.

The older swordsman then turned back to Marth, the boy’s eyes never leaving his shadowed counterpart.

Ike needed to get the royal’s attention back on him,

“Hey! Don’t look at him. Look at me, love. It’s okay.”

The Altean hesitated, incredibly uncomfortable by the sight of seeing the evil version of himself before he finally forced his watery eyes to lock onto Ike’s own.

“Good boy. That’s it. Just—.”

“Well, isn’t this sweet?”

Both swordsmen gasped, completely forgetting about the other figure still lurking in the shadows beside Marth’s cage.

Said male turned to the dark voice, squinting his eyes as much as he could to see where it was coming from.

Then, he heard Ike growl angrily from his right,

“I. Said. Leave. Him. _ALONE!”_

However, the hidden being seemed to simply ignore the angered mercenary as it finally took a step into the light before crouching down right in front of the prince.

Marth yelped in surprise, his back slamming hard against the back of the cage as he frantically jumped away from the door where the newcomer resided.

His breath caught in his throat.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Those glowing red, sinister eyes identical to the struggling mercenary’s own were eyeing him much too fondly.

But, this...

This wasn’t Ike.

The shadowed being let out another menacing chuckle as it shifted its body ever so close to the cage door, fiddling playfully with the lock.

Then, Aiku smirked darkly at those fearful, sapphire eyes on him,

“Hello there, _beautiful.”_

* * *

Sighing softly, Meta Knight scoped out the empty terrain below the ship once more, his golden eyes worriedly trying to make out any visual on the two lost swordsmen, as well as Red and Lucas.

Frowning, the round warrior switched the Halberd onto autopilot before flying himself upward and towards the window so he could get a much better view.

He was incredibly frustrated.

And, he has been silently wallowing in grief over the thought of all four of them not making it safely through the mountains.

Suddenly, a thin, white gloved hand tapped lightly on the Popstar resident’s wing,

“Um...Sir Meta Knight?”

Said male bit his lip at the title, trying to keep his composure together.

Prince Marth always referred to him as such.

Slowly, the spherical soldier looked up into a worried pair of blue eyes,

“Yes, Princess?”

Biting her lip nervously, the bright blonde in the frilly pink dress pointed over towards Sheik and Lucario, where both fighters were staring intently into the window on the opposite end of the large cabin,

“I...I believe we may have spotted something. W-We are not sure if it is your friends, but—.”

Nodding his gratefulness towards Princess Peach, Meta Knight abruptly left her as he flew quickly over to where the other two ninja-like warriors resided,

“What is it?”

A pair of ruby eyes glanced down at him worriedly before a black paw pressed itself against the transparent glass, seeming to point towards an unfamiliar, grotesque looking building sitting precariously in the middle of the wide open, desert-like terrain.

Golden eyes filled with concern as Meta Knight squinted them at the strange looking edifice,

“Do you...see anyone inside—?”

“Yes.”

The round knight looked up to Lucario immediately upon hearing that, silently urging the Pokémon to continue.

Sighing softly, the canine-like creature looked downward once more,

“With my aura, I can only see four live beings...but...I detect another presence...a dark one that also lies within that mysterious structure.”

Meta Knight frowned before his eyes suddenly flashed red with anger,

“We are going down there.”

Lucario blinked at that, about to object out of concern for their safety before realizing his spherical companion was already back at his controls and starting their descent.

Suddenly, Sheik brushed past him to walk over to the Popstar warrior, a hand on her hip as she watched the armored puffball in concern,

“You cannot be serious? You have no idea what could be over there—.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot risk passing it up. They may be in there. You and the others will remain on the ship while I search out the area myself—.”

“You will not.”

Meta Knight huffed before turning towards Lucario,

“I will not risk your safety. I appreciate the assistance, but I refuse to let anymore allies fall into more trouble under my watch.”

However, the Pokémon’s ruby eyes remained set in determination,

“I have my aura to allow me to see through the building. With a keen eye, I will be able to assist you and avoid you from blindly attacking whatever is held within.”

The round knight growled, his golden eyes holding the gaze of the other for a long moment.

Before finally relenting.

_“Fine.”_

* * *

Groaning quietly, Ike held his aching knee as the small door slammed shut behind him.

With Marusu fixating the lock of the cage after shoving the darker bluenette into the cramped space.

Then, both shadows smirked sinisterly down at the two caged swordsmen before leaving together out of the shack, planning to secure and oversee the area to make sure they had no followers.

Now alone, a gentle hand immediately reached through the side bars of their cages to cover the mercenary’s own.

Ike immediately sat up before shuffling closer to the left side of his cage, holding tightly to the small hand belonging to none other than the prince.

Fearful cobalt met watery sapphire.

“Hey,” the Crimean spoke softly before reaching over with his other hand to hold Marth’s trembling cheek.

“W-What...h-how...what happened?” The younger male hitched out quietly as his hold became extremely tight around the mercenary’s hand.

Ike bit his lip, his own eyes suddenly misting over with unshed tears,

“It...t-this is all my f-fault...I...I s-should’ve protected you—.”

Marth scooted as close as he could to the taller swordsman’s cage side as he reached his free hand through the bars to wipe the tears trailing steadily down the mercenary’s cheeks,

“Hush...don’t say that Ike...Y-You did all you could, I’m sure of it...you would never willingly put me in danger...I know that. Relax...w-we’ll um...we’ll find a way out of here...I’m s-sure we...can...”

The older male hiccuped softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the hand gently caressing his face before Marth did the same as Ike continued to hold the prince’s own.

“T-They...threatened your life if...if...I d-didn’t cooperate,” the commander whispered out shamefully as he looked down to the unkempt and rotting floor beneath them, another tear falling from his eyes and lightly splashing atop it.

The prince’s brows bent in anguish seeing the pain coursing through the other.

He bit his lip, before his eyes suddenly filled with anger and sorrow as he released himself from the mercenary, grabbing the rusting bars of the cage abruptly and shaking them aggressively.

Ike blinked at that before wiping at his eyes and trying to do the same with his own, as well as ramming his body as hard as he could into the door itself.

The two went at it for about ten minutes before realizing their attempts at escape were fruitless.

Breathing heavily, both bluenettes slumped down, back to back, before one let out a quiet whimper.

Ike came alert at that before slowly turning back around to find Marth’s back to him, the boy shaking out a sore hand while another rubbed an angry fist against his eyes.

Gently, the Crimean native reached through the other’s cage bars once more before combing a gentle hand through the upset royal’s soft teal hair,

“Hey...chin up buttercup. I’m right here, love. Like you said, we _will_ get out of here. We just gotta...figure out a different plan...that’s all.”

Marth sniffled softly before turning himself all the way around,

“I...I just don’t w-want you to feel g-guilty about this...”

Ike tilted his head at that,

“Wait...that’s why you’re upset? Marth...”

The younger hiccuped quietly as he felt the commander gently wipe a tear now trailing down his face,

“I...I’m...s-scared Ike...b-but...I don’t want you to be scared, t-too, and guilty on top of that...”

The mercenary hushed him quietly as he continued to stroke the other’s tear-stained cheek with a soft thumb,

“Hey hey...Princess...I gotta be scared...so I know to be on alert and protect that cute little face of yours.”

Marth giggled shyly as Ike gave him a gentle smile.

Before their quiet moment was suddenly interrupted by the loud screeching of the broken door of the shack being pushed to the side as their shadowed counterparts came into view once more.

Both swordsmen gulped nervously as they scooted to the back of their cages, with Ike reaching back through the bars to hold the prince’s hand tightly.

Marth squeezed it with the same amount of force.

Suddenly, Aiku stepped forward before coming down in front of the royal’s cage once again,

“Awww Marusu...get a look at this. Sweet little lovebirds...what are we to do?”

The dark prince smirked before it brought itself in front of Ike’s cage, where it began playfully trailing its thin, violet fingers along the outer edge of the door before fiddling with the lock.

Then, both pairs of glowing red eyes locked with one another,

“Hmmm...playing with our little... _friends_ here does sound...quiet appealing. And, it will let these two little _worms_ know that we mean—.”

“W-What...what do you want?!”

Marusu gasped at the interruption, its red eyes blinking at the voice before they glared maliciously into an angry pair of sapphire,

“Ugh! Such _filthy_ manners...what do... _I_ want, you ask? Well...what _you_ already have...”

Those fierce, glowing red orbs of the shorter shadow slowly retracted from the prince’s heated gaze before shifting back over to Ike.

An eerie smirk then crawled across its lips as Marusu took a moment to lustfully admire the helpless, yet furious mercenary inside the cage.

Marth watched the silent interaction.

Before growling angrily.

He did not appreciate the look the other was giving the commander.

Not one bit.

The teal-haired swordsman released his hold on the older male before banging his fists against the side of his cage in outrage,

“Hey! Get those nasty, vulgar eyes of yours off of him this instant you...you... _asshole!”_

Both pairs of red eyes, along with wide, surprised cobalt, all looked towards the heaving prince in utter shock.

Before a proud smirk crossed Ike’s face.

However, it was short-lived.

Marusu growled viciously towards the young royal, his glowing red orbs filled with indignation towards the haughty prince inside the cage, with Marth keeping his ground as he continued to glare daggers into his shadowed counterpart.

Then, the sound of a lock popping open was heard,

“Easy, Marusu...I will take care of this.”

Suddenly, the Altean native held his breath, slowly turning his head as the door to his cage was gently pushed open.

Before Aiku crawled through.

Ike shot up like a bullet.

Ignoring the pain blossoming across his forehead upon hitting the top of his own cage, the commander scrambled over to the side before reaching through the bars and grasping Marth’s tunic, pulling the trembling prince back as much as he could,

“DON’T YOU TOUCH HIM! HE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!”

The dark mercenary growled, annoyed with its counterpart being so protective over the other.

So, it grabbed Marth’s arm hard and dragged the trapped royal to the opposite end of his cage.

Away from Ike.

Then, Aiku clamored its body on top of the teal-haired swordsman’s own.

“NO! LET HIM GO!” Ike screamed.

The Altean was shaking from head to toe, Ike’s desperate pleas pulling at his heart as it beat at incredibly high speed in fear as his terrified, sapphire eyes looked up into the lewd, malevolent pair of burning red above him.

The prince gulped audibly.

Aiku chuckled quietly before leaning its face much too close to Marth’s own, purposely glancing at a frantic Ike banging harshly at the bars before turning its attention back to the squirming boy below him.

Then, the dark mercenary brushed its lips softly against the younger male’s cheek.

Marth whimpered loudly, trying to move his face away.

However, Aiku wasn’t done.

Holding the petrified swordsman down, the shadowed being slowly took a violet, gloved hand and gently tugged open the prince’s periwinkle tunic.

Marth gasped in horror, crying out as the dark mercenary began to put its hands on him,

_“I-IKE!”_

Said male rammed his shoulder hard over and over against his cage.

But, the damn thing wouldn’t budge.

Cobalt eyes filled with tears as the mercenary was helpless in saving the other,

“GET OFF OF HIM! _STOP IT!”_

Of course, Aiku ignored both of them as the evil being let its wandering fingers trail disgustingly over the prince’s bare chest before they slowly came down to fiddle with Marth’s belt.

The Altean yelped, kicking his legs desperately underneath the dark mercenary.

But, the shadow held them down with its body.

It was much too strong for the struggling royal.

Just as the dark figure was pulling the loop of the belt through the hole of the leather garment, Marth gave out a blood-curdling scream before ramming his forehead hard into Aiku’s nose.

The dark mercenary grunted in pain before it fell back onto the cage floor, not expecting that at all as it held a hand to its injured face.

Looking down, the shadow noticed dark, violet goo trailing from it’s right nostril.

Then, fiery red met fearful sapphire as Marth whimpered quietly, bringing a hand over to cover his groin as he struggled to fix his belt.

“You fucking _brat!”_ Aiku screamed before grabbing hold of the Altean’s arm and yanking the prince out of the cage.

The young royal gasped at the pain around his extremity, tears pricking at his eyes as he tried wriggling himself free.

Ike was growling like mad inside his cage, shoving himself over and over against the door now, which Marusu was struggling to hold together as the mercenary was starting to cause the contraption to come loose,

“A-Aiku...”

Holding the squirming prince in a tight choke hold, said shadow grunted at the stubborn boy in its arms before glancing over towards Marusu’s worried expression.

“H-Hold on, Marusu. Give me a sec. This bitch won’t quit moving.”

Marth whimpered as he struggled aggressively in the dark mercenary’s hold, trying with all of his might to fight through the other’s strength.

Suddenly, Marusu was heard yelping as Ike rammed one last time into the cage door, causing it to slam hard into the dark prince as the lock broke completely.

The shorter shadow fell face first into the ground as the door toppled on top of it, before an incredibly furious Ike got up to his feet, chest heaving heavily as his cobalt eyes glared angrily into an equally furious pair of red,

“Let. Him. Go.”

Aiku growled as it locked its elbow tighter around Marth’s neck, causing the boy to wheeze as the prince clawed at the dark being’s arm trapping him, his navy boots scuffing desperately on the floor,

“And if I don’t?”

The Crimean huffed, glancing to the side to see both Falchion and Ragnell sitting innocently against the wall before looking back to his shadowed counterpart.

Then, he looked into those terrified, watery sapphire eyes looking at him pleadingly.

Ike cracked both his knuckles as he glanced back up to the dark mercenary,

“I’ll make you.”

Aiku smirked before reaching behind itself with its free hand, where a shadow suddenly began forming and developing into an exact replica of Ragnell.

The dark being then removed its arm from around the prince’s neck before holding the dark sword to it instead.

Ike’s offensive stance faltered immediately.

The taller shadow chuckled,

“Not so tough now, are ya?”

The mercenary grit his teeth, taking another glance at his own sword before he was suddenly grabbed from behind, where both his arms were once more trapped behind his back.

Marusu growled angrily behind him, grasping its hands tight around Ike’s wrists as the shadow dug its nails viciously into the darker bluenette’s skin.

The Crimean bit back a whimper of pain as he tried focusing his cobalt orbs back onto those fearful pair of sapphire across from him.

Marth wasn’t even putting up a fight, the boy’s arms too busy being held painfully behind his back, almost to the point of breaking as Aiku continued to hold its shadowed sword against the prince’s neck.

Suddenly, the dark mercenary dropped its weapon.

The darkened version of Ragnell fell to the floor, where it trailed into a violet sludge before disappearing completely.

Ike gave Aiku a wary look, trying to figure out what the taller shadow was up to now.

However, it only took the mercenary a millisecond to figure out what.

A violet, gloved hand slowly made its way towards the royal’s tunic once more, which was still open from before.

Marth let out a soft whimper, a shiver of pure terror slicing through him as Aiku fondly caressed his upper chest.

Ike growled, tugging hard in Marusu’s strong hold as his eyes never left those fearful one’s of the Altean,

_“STOP IT!”_

The dark mercenary smirked sinisterly, its malicious red eyes never leaving the Crimean’s own as it gently began trailing its lustful fingers down Marth’s abdomen.

Said male squirmed desperately in the other’s hold, trembling fearfully as he felt Aiku’s hot breath against his neck.

Suddenly, panic over came him.

Letting out a shout, Marth grit his teeth before slamming the back of his head hard against the taller shadow’s own.

Aiku released him immediately, face scrunched up in pain as it fell back before crashing into a pile of empty barrels and shards of glass that had been left for waste inside the disgusting shack.

The prince winced, gasping quietly at the pain in the back of his own head as he stumbled forward from the blow.

Ike’s eyes widened, a proud smile adorning his features before it was wiped away when an incredibly furious Marusu shoved him to the side.

It approached the recovering teal-haired swordsman, growling viciously as it did so.

Sapphire eyes glanced upward into the fiery red set before him.

Then, the Altean native glanced down to see the darkened version of Falchion formulating slowly in the dark prince’s balled up fist.

Quickly, Marth ducked out of the way just as the other’s first swing was aimed at his head, the prince rolling forward onto the ground before he reached out for his own sword against the wall.

Spinning around on his bum, Falchion clashed with Falchion as Marusu charged right for the lighter bluenette on the floor,

“I’m going to _kill_ you!”

Marth growled lowly, pushing with all of his might as the two swords angrily fought for dominance, with the young royal slowly coming back up to his feet.

Then, the Altean native shoved himself hard against Marusu, causing the shadow to stumble and fall back.

“I don’t think so.”

With that, both princes let out an angry shout before charging at each other, swords flashing brightly at the ready.

The shadowed being aimed for the royal’s head once more.

But, Marth ducked underneath the massive swing, a snippet of his teal hair the only damage that was taken.

Before Falchion sliced right through Marusu’s midsection.

Aiku was just shifting its way through the rubble it was caught in before the dark mercenary suddenly looked up to find its shadowed companion falling apart into a mist of purple goo,

_“NO! MARUSU!”_

Suddenly, steely red eyes locked onto the heaving prince.

Growling madly, Aiku finished crawling its way through the mess, a violet hand extending out for the darkened version of Ragnell to form into it once more.

Standing tall, the dark being huffed with its teeth bared, eyes alight with a rage of fire only for the prince standing a few feet beyond its own.

Then, Aiku charged right for him,

_“Aaarrgggh—!”_

However, a body stuck itself in between the two before a golden blade was seen slashing cleanly through the dark mercenary’s throat.

In an instant, Aiku turned to violet mush.

Chest heaving heavily, Marth glanced down at the remaining mess around him before his sapphire eyes looked up to the mercenary as they were suddenly filled with nothing but relief.

The older male stood across from him silently for a moment, before Ike’s face crumpled in grief.

Covered in the purple substance of their fallen enemies, Ragnell dropped to the ground before the commander ran over to the prince, holding the other tightly in his arms as he could no longer hold back his tears.

“O-Oh...oh Gods, Marth...” he hiccuped quietly into the teal-haired swordsman’s neck, gripping tighter to the boy as the young royal brought his own arms up around the Crimean.

“Shh...it’s okay, Ike...w-we...we’re okay...”

However, the mercenary shook his head in disbelief, squeezing the other incredibly tight for a moment before releasing him,

“H-He...he didn’t... _do_ anything to you...d-did he? Be h-honest with me, l-love.”

Marth bit his lip, his eyes suddenly filling with his own tears at what Aiku had almost...done to him.

He whimpered softly before shaking his head in the negative, his eyes squeezing shut as the prince was suddenly too ashamed to look at Ike for the other having seen him in such a vulnerable way.

However, all the teal-haired swordsman felt was a pair of soft hands holding his face gently,

“H-Hey...look at me.”

But, Marth refused to do so as he hiccuped quietly along with Ike, both bluenettes in a mess of tears now.

The mercenary frowned before stroking his thumb gently across the shameful boy’s face, wiping away the constantly flowing tears while his own dripped down his cheeks,

“It’s okay...Y-You’re okay. You did n-nothing wrong, Marth. A-And, you fought back. I-It’s alright now, love. It’s over...Shh, it’s okay...”

Marth began breaking down the moment Ike started reassuring him, the younger male’s quiet wail being muffled by the broad chest closing the space between them.

The taller swordsman held the prince close, sniveling into the other’s teal hair while gently hushing the weeping royal.

The two kept the embrace for a while, just holding onto each other as tightly as they could, letting out all the hurt and trauma from what they had been through over the past early hours of the morning.

Before slowly pulling apart.

Watery azure pairs of eyes met, before a large hand gently caressed Marth’s quivering cheek,

“Shhh...we made it, love. W-We...we made it.”

Slowly, Ike tilted the other’s chin before softly pressing his lips into the prince’s own.

Releasing it after a few moments, Marth wiped a hand across his nose sheepishly as Ike playfully kissed away the tears gliding down his cheeks.

Giggling softly, sapphire eyes shined up into loving cobalt before the young royal lifted a small hand to gently brush away the mercenary’s own tears.

Smiling fondly, the Crimean pressed a warm kiss to the boy’s hand before whispering,

“Why don’t we go rescue those two little rascals and get the hell out of here, huh?”

Sniffling quietly, Marth nodded in agreement, tucking Falchion away in its scabbard before gasping quietly as Ike suddenly reached for his shirt. 

The commander hushed him gently, 

"Easy...I'm attaching it back together for you...it's alright...it's just me. Relax, love..." 

The prince gulped nervously, his body beginning to shake slightly as he watched the older male fix his tunic with tender care. 

Ike bit his lip, feeling incredibly awful for not being able to protect Marth from Aiku's...horrendous doing.

Once he was done, the mercenary grasped the trembling royal's hands within his own, kissing each one gently before pressing a soft kiss to the anxious boy's teal bangs, 

"You're okay...I gotcha." 

Watery sapphire met sorrowful, yet protective cobalt before Marth allowed himself to tuck close into Ike's side. 

Then, together, they finally made their way over to Red and Lucas.

Requesting the children to scoot to the far back of their cages, Ike came forward and rammed Ragnell hard into both doors, breaking their locks and releasing the two adolescents.

Gasping quietly, both boys scrambled out before hugging the two blue-haired swordsmen tightly.

Releasing their own share of tears, all four allies huddled together in one big hug of security.

They were safe now.

Or, so they thought.

Suddenly, all four fighters stilled as they heard the door to the shack screech open once more.

Followed by a low growl.

All pairs of eyes turned slowly, before two of them widened in utter horror.

Huffing quietly, glowing red eyes honed in on them as their owner flapped its large, violet wings in intimidation.

Before two other shadowed figures walked out from behind it, the taller tossing a spherical ball threateningly in its hands while the shorter fizzled with an ominous, glowing energy.

Lucas gulped nervously as he tucked his body closer to Red’s own.

Those pair of glowing red eyes identical to his own flashed towards the blonde before a sinister smirk formed on the dark boy’s face.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Ike muttered before he held Ragnell out in front of him once more.

However, before he could make the first move, someone else beat him to it.

A bright flash was seen before a spiked sword cut its way into the shadowed dragon.

Which was then followed by a large, warping blue ball of light crashing hard into the two shadowed children.

All three turned to violet sludge before all four captives’ eyes.

They stood silently for a moment, trying to wrap their minds around on what had just occurred.

Before two pairs of azure eyes slowly looked up.

And met a pair of gold.

Gasping quietly, sapphire orbs welled up with a fresh set of tears as the prince tugged onto the mercenary’s sleeve.

Ike was just as surprised, and filled even more so with relief,

“M-Meta Knight...?”

The round soldier’s eyes flashed blue, relief mingled with joy filling within them as he continued to stare ahead at his two lost, and most trusted allies.

Hiccuping loudly, Marth didn’t hesitate to be the first to run over to him, the royal falling roughly to the ground as he crashed the knight into a tight hug.

With a grunt, the Popstar warrior gladly accepted it, bringing an arm up to hug the prince back before another body shoved itself into the two of them.

And, with that, Meta Knight had his gloved hands full with two crying, blue-haired swordsmen.

Eyes filling with his own anguish, the spherical knight brought his wings up to protectively hold the two boys against him.

He will figure out all the details since their departure later.

For now, the older swordsman just needed to hold the two younger males, just as much as they needed to hold him.

Now.

Now, they were safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally teared up at the end :') 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and the reunion between Ike, Marth, and Meta Knight that you have all been waiting for (It was about DAMN time XD) 
> 
> I will not lie...this chapter was actually a little bit hard to write :(
> 
> And, SPOILER: we will delve more into their getting back together next chapter ;) So, you haven't seen the last of the brave trio FLUFF <3
> 
> Once again, thank you all so much for reading, your wonderfully generous comments, kudos, bookmarks, and overall support. Just...thank you <3 
> 
> Until next update! 
> 
> Elizabeth :)


	19. Chapter 19

“I don’t believe he will appreciate this very much, Your Highness.”

Said male simply waved a hand at his round companion before plucking another lily from the vibrant green grass surrounding him and gently tucking it beside all the other’s in the spiked mess of dark blue hair in his lap.

Ike snuffled softly, shifting ever so subtly while the prince continued to decorate his hair with flowers.

All the while remaining asleep.

“He looks lovely. I would prefer him with this look, if I’m being honest.”

Meta Knight chuckled fondly at the younger swordsman’s words before looking over to his right, noticing a bright yellow daffodil innocently sticking out of the ground as it blew gently in the breeze.

Carefully, the Popstar warrior reached over to pluck it from the sea of green before handing it over to Marth.

The young royal smiled playfully, gratefully taking the flower before tucking it gently behind the the mercenary’s left ear.

After their emotional reunion from that morning just a few days ago, the trio was back together again, and now accompanied by wonderfully skilled and graciously acquainted allies.

Marth was quite thrilled to meet Princess Peach, feeling a bit better that he wasn’t the only royalty running around in these parts.

And, that’s when Sheik finally revealed herself to be none other than Princess Zelda from Hyrule. She found a quiet fondness in the young prince, and his excitement pushed her to silently introduce her sovereignty properly to him.

And, to everyone else.

On the other hand, Ike clicked immediately with Fox and Falco, finding a huge amount of interest in their form of advanced weaponry and battle tactics.

However, it took the mercenary some time to warm up to Snake. The man was eerily silent for the most part, and only seemed to converse with Lucario and Meta Knight.

That was until the weapon-clad soldier noticed the darker bluenette press a soft kiss into the Altean native’s hair as he walked past the two swordsmen during a quick inspection of their surroundings a short time after everyone had dinner on their first night together.

Snake quickly became incredibly skeptical about the mercenary’s relationship with the prince—and he confronted Ike immediately.

That was an uncomfortable situation.

Which had been quickly quelled by a furious Meta Knight shoving himself in between the defensive, growling commander and the bickering, bearded soldier.

However, with a private, yet stern conversation with the Popstar resident, Snake finally came around and apologized for his skepticism.

Of course, he needed to patiently wait for this opportunity because by the time the armored puffball had finished his scolding, Marth was still struggling to calm down a fuming Ike.

But now, almost everyone was at peace.

And soon, more and more fighters from throughout the Subspace terrain began to pop up, where everyone slowly began filing in and making preparations for their full on attack towards the final, dark violet sphere hanging precariously above the ocean.

Today was the final time for everyone to relax, collect themselves, and clear their minds before the oncoming battle ahead. And, Olimar was kind enough to allow his Pikmin to replace the dirty, rocky covered terrain with a plentiful amount of grass for everyone to enjoy and lay in, especially the Pokémon.

Meta Knight sighed as he let his golden eyes linger on the prince who was now humming quietly as he continued to play with Ike’s hair,

“So...it’s been a quiet few days, now. You—.”

“Can you pass me another one of those flowers, Meta Knight? I need to balance their yellow color with the—.”

Suddenly, the boy’s request was silenced when the navy puffball placed a gentle arm atop the Altean’s lightly trembling hand,

“Prince Marth...”

“Sir Meta Knight. I told you. I’m fine—.”

“Ike says otherwise.”

The teal-haired soldier gasped quietly at that, pouting angrily down at his sleeping partner before looking away from those golden eyes observing him quietly.

“Nice to know the two of you were engaging in hearsay about me without my knowledge,” the lighter bluenette grumbled out agitatedly.

Rolling his eyes in slight annoyance at the other’s stubbornness, Meta Knight gave out a huff before lightly nudging the royal’s arm,

“You know the two of us only would do such a thing because we—.”

“Care about me. Yes. I know. But...Meta Knight. Ike was probably over exaggerating...yes, things were...quite dire for the two of us for a short while but—.”

“He nearly died, Your Highness. And with the incident just a few days ago...”

Marth bit his lip, the fingers nervously playing with the Crimean native’s hair suddenly stilling at that quiet comment.

“I don’t want to discuss this. All that should matter now is that Ike is _alive_ and that I’m...fine,” he whispered out before swallowing thickly as a sudden lump appeared in his throat.

Then, the teal-haired prince sighed softly before quietly reaching down to gently stroke the sleeping mercenary’s cheek,

“Ike’s hurting too, you know. Both of you have been quietly festering over me when...you should be looking out for yourselves.”

The round knight sighed, but kept a comforting hold on the Altean’s arm,

“We understand your concern for the both of us...and...over these past few days, you have been here doing your best to be an aid in our own sorrows. Or have you forgotten that?”

Marth bit his lip, shifting uncomfortably as he unconsciously pulled Ike closer to his person,

“No, of course not—.”

“Who was there when Ike kept waking up in the night our first days in, panicking over you being hurt?”

Sapphire eyes began to water at those memories, pain filling him at his sudden flashbacks to the mercenary holding onto him as he awoke the royal during the night, those cobalt orbs filled with nothing but terror before Ike would realize that Marth was okay. That they were both safe. Before the prince would cradle the commander back to sleep.

“Me,” the lighter bluenette whispered out softly.

“And, who was there when I, myself, was found alone just outside of our living quarters, pondering quietly atop the Halberd over what could have happened if...if I never found you two in time?”

Marth hiccuped quietly, rushing to swipe at his stinging eyes upon listening to his round companion’s incredible amount of appreciation for him,

“I-I was.”

Meta Knight allowed himself to smile softly under his mask as he gently rubbed his arm comfortingly along the prince’s own,

“So, there should be no reason for us not to return the favor, Prince Marth. Am I correct?”

Gripping the Crimean’s tunic in a tight grip, the teal-haired swordsman’s lip began to tremble as he quietly shook his head in agreement to the spherical soldier’s final question.

The Popstar warrior let out another quiet sigh, his golden eyes filling with anguish as he decided to tuck himself into the young royal’s side, allowing Marth to put a shaky arm around him,

“What happened in the mountains is in the past, and same goes for what those...terrible shadows did to the both of you. But...you cannot ignore the hurt, as much as you may want to, Your Highness. It’s alright. It’s okay to be afraid. Ike and I are right here and we will always be here, I assure you. But, you must allow yourself to grieve—oh...Prince Marth...”

Golden eyes continued to fill with hurt for the younger swordsman as a watery pair of sapphire met his own, the teal-haired boy nibbling softly at his lip as he tried to hold back the few tears silently trailing down his face.

Meta Knight tucked himself ever closer to the royal, lifting a wing behind the other’s back as to hold the prince comfortingly in his own way. Marth leaned into it appreciatively while still continuing to hold Ike’s upper body in his lap, the dozing male’s quiet snoring an extra sweet comfort to the younger swordsman, as well.

Sniffling softly, Marth wiped at his eyes once more before glancing down at his round companion,

“M-My apologies for keeping quiet, Sir Meta Knight...it’s just been...a bit hard trying to get past all that has happened...For the most part, I-I am okay. I really am...Just...it sometimes becomes too overwhelming when those memories come back...e-especially about Ike...”

The Popster resident frowned behind his mask as he continued to gently rub a soothing arm along the Altean’s own,

“There is no need to feel remorseful for feeling that way, Your Highness. It is very understandable...and it really is alright. I promise you. Whenever you start feeling that way, just come to us...Ike has been worrying greatly over you and wants nothing more than for you to talk to him...and, I know you know this.”

Marth smirked softly with a sniff before leaning down to press a soft kiss into the mercenary’s hair, a silent tear falling from his left eye as he did so.

Suddenly, Ike moaned quietly, his face scrunching up as a tired pair of cobalt orbs squinted themselves open before looking up to the prince.

They immediately filled with concern upon seeing the watery sapphire eyes above them.

“Why...why you cryin’?” He mumbled out tiredly.

Marth blushed at the question before hurriedly wiping at his eyes,

“I-I...uh...”

Ike looked at him for a long moment before shifting his gaze over to Meta Knight, a frown suddenly forming on his lips,

“What did you say to him?”

The round warrior looked sheepish, but remained silent as he looked away innocently.

The prince giggled softly at their interaction before looking back down to the worried swordsman,

“I-It’s alright...he was just trying to help.”

The Crimean grumbled, giving Meta Knight one more glance of disapproval for upsetting his love before letting his features become more genuine as he admired the boy above him.

“He tell you it’s okay to talk about it?” The dark blue-haired swordsman whispered out in question.

Marth blushed with a pout before crossing his arms and turning his head away from the commander.

Then, he gave a curt nod in response.

Ike chuckled softly at that, before making kissing noises at the embarrassed royal.

The prince reluctantly turned a quirked brow to him.

Before watching as the mercenary stuck out his lips in wanting.

Marth couldn’t help but giggle quietly before bending down and enveloping his soft lips into Ike’s own.

The commander smiled softly, lifting a hand to hold the young royal’s tear-stained cheek as they quietly made out.

Questioning the sudden silence, the Popstar resident decided to turn himself back around.

Only to blush darkly under his mask at the two swordsmen’s current...intimacy.

Releasing the kiss, the two bluenettes smiled fondly at one another before realizing they had an observer.

Both males turned towards a bashful Meta Knight, their own cheeks glowing pink as they laughed sheepishly at their spherical companion.

Giving out a huff, the round solider simply rolled his golden eyes at the two before looking back down when Ike suddenly scrunched up his face upon feeling something unusual atop his head,

“The hell is in my hair?”

Covering his mouth, Marth tried holding back a laugh as the mercenary plucked a lily that had been tucked inside his green headband.

The commander looked at it for a moment, twirling it playfully in his gloved hand before smiling softly up to the younger swordsman,

“I love you...”

Then, he reached up to place the lily behind the prince’s own ear.

Before frowning playfully up at the other,

“But, get these damn flowers off my head.”

* * *

With a soft sigh, Ike quietly shut the door to his and Marth’s temporary living quarters before hesitantly making his way through the metallic halls of the Halberd.

Brown boots scuffed lightly against the grated iron floor boards before the mercenary eventually found himself at the entrance leading to the cockpit.

With a gentle push against the door in front of him, a small creak gave out before the dark blue-haired swordsman found a pair of gold eyes curiously make contact with his own.

He gulped nervously as he quietly made his way over to his round companion.

Meta Knight simply blinked kindly at him before glancing behind the younger male towards the doorway,

“Is he asleep?”

Ike looked back for a moment before turning towards the Popstar resident, biting his lip as he did so,

“Yeah...”

The spherical soldier gave the commander a quiet look of sympathy before gesturing the taller fighter over to him.

The Crimean native gave a silent nod before shuffling his way beside the knight and leaning against the control panel of the large ship.

“May I ask why you are not joining him?”

Letting out another sigh, cobalt eyes glanced once more towards the direction to where his love was currently sleeping before looking out the large window and into the starry night.

“I tried to...but, for some reason...I couldn’t,” Ike began before scratching the back of his head as a soft smirk graced his lips, “To be honest with you, Meta Knight...the two of us are very worried about tomorrow...but...I must say how incredibly surprised I am on how quickly it took little Princey to fall asleep.”

The round warrior gave a quiet chuckle at that before looking up to find a quiet underlying concern in the darker bluenette,

“You know he has not slept very well since...”

Ike shut his eyes tightly as he bit back a growl of frustration,

“I know, I know...I just...I wish I knew if he was _really_ okay, ya know? I mean, we are going into this nasty battle tomorrow. We have no idea what to expect. Hell, we are going to be _flying_ in these weird ass contraptions! What if he’s not ready? What if I’m not—Meta Knight—!”

“Calm yourself, Ike. It’s alright to be afraid of what is to come. And Marth...yes he is hurting. We all are...but, you need to _trust_ him. I know you do. But, you need to actually see that.”

The commander huffed, avoiding the quiet gaze on him as he crossed his arms over his chest,

“Of course I _see_ that! And, I do trust my boyfr—ahem...Marth...with all of my heart. But...he’s scared and—.”

“You’re scared, too.”

The taller male grumbled as his cobalt orbs made contact with gold,

“I...I didn’t say that.”

Meta Knight chuckled before he gently placed a gloved hand atop the Crimean’s arm,

“You didn’t need to. I can tell. You’re incredibly riled up, Ike. You constantly worry over the two of us...especially for His Highness.”

Ike blushed darkly at that, but stayed quiet as he let the armored puffball continue,

“But...you need to come to terms with the fact that you carry the same fears as us. I understand Prince Marth’s pain is something important for you to find yourself constantly focusing on...but...you cannot let it overshadow your own disquiet. You need to care for yourself, too.”

With a silent frown, the younger swordsman turned away from the other to stare into the dark night once more.

“A commander, let alone a simple mercenary, cannot let his guard down for a moment. I rather throw myself into an unpredictable battle and give my life to the both of you then allow myself a simple moment of grief...besides...I think I’ve done...quite enough of that last week after...after what those assholes did to Marth and I,” Ike trailed off quietly before giving an uncomfortable shuffling of his feet.

Golden eyes continued to watch the darker bluenette for a moment,

“You should not be ashamed of that, Ike. Your night terrors were very much understandable...and Prince Marth knew that, as well. Why do you think he remained with you all those times you accidentally woke him up, even when you tried pushing him away when he tried to help afterward? Doesn’t that behavior from the both of you remind you of anything...anyone...?”

Cobalt orbs continued to glare into the large transparent glass of the Halberd, refusing to answer as his cheeks continued to glow pink.

He knew exactly what the round knight was referring to.

This situation was very similar to the one that had led him and the prince to start getting along those few months ago.

Where Marth awoke in the night after his nightmare, refusing the mercenary’s own help until Ike forced the boy to finally talk to him.

Now, this time it had been the reverse.

And, Meta Knight was trying to make a point out of it.

“I take your silence as a quiet agreement.”

Ike rolled his eyes before looking back down to his shorter comrade,

“Yeah, well...I’m better now. _He_ isn’t—.”

“Ike?”

Both knight and mercenary froze, before slowly turning their sheepish looks to the newcomer in the doorway.

The Popstar warrior awkwardly cleared his throat,

“Y-Your Highness...I thought you were resting for the night...?”

Marth gave both swordsmen an unamused look before a yawn broke past his lips as the Altean was left with little choice but to rub at his tired eyes,

“Mmm...I was. Until...well...um...”

Suddenly, it was the royal’s turn to look sheepish as his shy sapphire eyes peeked up into concerned cobalt, his bare feet shuffling nervously.

Ike knew what that look meant.

The mercenary sighed softly before quietly making his way over to the other, tucking a loose strand of teal hair behind the prince’s ear as he fondly took in the lighter bluenette’s messy bed head,

“I’ll be back in a moment, Princess. You weren’t supposed to wake up.”

Marth frowned up at him,

“That shouldn’t matter. You _both_ are losing sleep hanging in here and blabbering on about your concern over me. I. Am. Fine.”

Then, the young royal gave the taller male a pleading look,

“Ike...we _talked_ about this. I...I told you that I was okay...why...why can’t you just _ask_ me yourself? N-No offense to Sir Meta Knight but...why can’t you come to me...when...when you’re upset...? All I want to do is help and I have...but you only let me up to a point. Do...do you not—?”

“Don’t you dare finish that question.”

The prince bit his lip as his eyes suddenly watered.

But, he obeyed the mercenary’s command as the older male gently caressed his cheek,

“Of course I trust you. Don’t you _ever_ doubt that for a moment.”

Marth hiccuped quietly,

“T-Then why—.”

“Because I’m scared.”

Sapphire eyes blinked at that, a silent tear slipping from one of them,

“W-What...?”

Ike sighed softly, leaning his head forward to press it against Marth’s own.

Before giving a quick glance over to Meta Knight, who was looking away from the pair out of respect. But, the commander knew that the navy puffball was intently listening to their conversation.

He then put his full attention back on the prince,

“It...it’s not that I don’t trust you, or-or that I’m afraid of sharing personal shit with you...I just...all I want to care about is _you,_ Marth. I don’t want to focus on me and my issues. I don’t. And...I sure as _hell_ don’t want to put that burden on you either. I love you. And...and...”

“Ike.”

Watery cobalt met an equal amount of watery sapphire.

Before a soft hand brushed a silent tear trailing from the commander’s cheek,

“It’s alright. I promise you...it’s okay. But, I _want_ you to focus on yourself, Ike. It is incredibly selfish of _me_ to allow you otherwise. Please...please do not bend over backwards to try and accommodate me, sweetheart...I mean...isn’t that what you refused to do in the first place? When we first met?”

That got a quiet snort out of the darker bluenette before Ike gently pressed a sweet kiss into those soft lips below him,

“Yes, Princess.”

Marth smiled softly before he suddenly gave a small hop as he wrapped his arms tightly around the commander’s neck.

Stumbling back in surprise, Ike sniffled softly before embracing the younger male around the waist and pulling him in just as tightly.

“I love you, too.”

The mercenary smiled at the other’s muffled comment into his shoulder before he easily lifted the prince into his arms, guiding the shorter swordsman’s legs to wrap around his waist.

The prince blushed darkly as he suddenly felt the Crimean’s arms holding him gently under his bum.

Then, he removed his face from the other’s shoulder so he could look down into those passionate, yet apologetic cobalt orbs below him.

“I’m sorry for being...distant with you, love. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I should have never let my fear make you believe I was ungrateful...”

However, Marth shut the mercenary up with another fervent kiss to the other’s lips as the Altean gently held the older male’s face in his hands,

“I never _ever_ doubted your sincerity for a moment, Ike. I was just incredibly worried about you...just as you have been for me. But...I _promise_ you...I promise that the two of us—,” Marth paused to look over at Meta Knight, who finally decided to turn himself around and admire the two swordsmen, his eyes aglow in a rare color of purple,

“No. The _three_ of us—

Will be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodness...I do apologize for making this chapter more on the emotional side. :’)
> 
> Technically, this is the final chapter before the Epilogue of this story so...how could I NOT bring out the feels one last time? 
> 
> Especially for our favorite trio who needed it <3 
> 
> Also, FYI, purple=love in regards to Meta Knight's eye color for those who don't know. However, I'm not sure if it is supposed to be in romantic terms or not but...for this story, I made it as a familial love. Marth and Ike have become his family and he loves them--that's what I meant by his color change (if any of you were curious or confused on that detail lol)
> 
> ANYWAY :D 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has been with this story since the beginning, and heck, thank you to EVERYONE in general, even those who hopped in during this chapter and enjoyed the read. I am so so proud of how incredibly successful this story has become...and it is thanks to all of YOU amazing readers. <3
> 
> This was quite the emotional roller coaster but a really really amazing story I had the honor of writing for all of you. :)
> 
> So...I will see you all in the final update—our beloved Epilogue of our brave heroes <3 
> 
> Until then, 
> 
> Elizabeth :’)


	20. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it...the finale of this long, amazing journey of a tale that you wonderful readers have been on along with me...
> 
> Thank you and...I hope you enjoy our heroes’ final moments in this story 
> 
> :’) <3

Two pairs of boots fell into step together as they made their way through the quiet hall of their incredibly large living quarters.

Bags full of clothing and personal items were held within the two swordsmen’s outside hands, while their inner ones remained intertwined.

The shorter bluenette was giggling softly at something the taller had quipped, leaving the older male smiling fondly down at his love as they continued on.

Earlier that very morning, the current hallway they resided in had been full of chaos and shouting. All the fighters getting fixated on where they were supposed to go, comprehending where exactly they were now that they were no longer encompassed with Subspace, and half of them losing their minds on how they were _transported_ into a _mansion_ above all things.

The Smash Mansion to be exact.

It was a wild ride, especially with Master Hand gathering all of his lunatic smashers in order with his brother, Crazy Hand, being of no help whatsoever.

Eventually, the large, white-gloved hand did manage to alleviate the situation and now everyone for the most part was either quietly resting in their respectful rooms or out in the garden relaxing in the fading sun.

And, after grabbing a quick bite to eat with Red and Lucas in the Dining Hall on the home floor, Marth and Ike finally decided it was time they figured out where their own rooms were.

So, pulling out the small hand-map provided to them, the mercenary decided they figure out where his room was first and working their way from there.

The prince quietly had agreed before kissing his love on the cheek, which added a soft pink tint to the Crimean native’s face at the time.

Now, they were hitting the home stretch, where they were currently on the fourth floor and had to make one last sharp turn left and...

Found something they were not expecting.

Marth gave a quirked brow before his face broke out into a wide grin.

Ike could feel the other jittering in the hold he continued to have on the prince as he looked ahead of the two of them in awe.

“Surprised, as well?”

Suddenly, both bluenettes jumped before turning to their left to find an amused looking Meta Knight staring his golden orbs up at them.

The armored puffball watched as his two younger companions gave a slow, hesitant nod before looking in front of themselves once more.

It was a small, secluded little area at the end of the hall, where three doors were placed side by side from each other.

Each of their names in gold-plating for their respective bedrooms atop them.

Meta Knight on the left.

Ike on the right.

And, Marth in the middle.

The Altean smiled softly once more, happy all three of them were purposely put in the same vicinity so they would always be near one another in case of anything.

Just like in their time in the Subspace.

Then, the teal-haired prince looked up to the darker bluenette, realizing Ike had been admiring him quietly.

Blushing darkly at those fond cobalt eyes on him, Marth let their gaze linger for another moment before he chose to turn towards his bedroom.

However, just as he lifted his left foot to walk to said door—

There was tug to his arm.

The young royal yelped, falling back into the commander’s chest before looking up at the older male with a huff of confusion.

But then, his pouty look faltered when Ike’s fun-loving gaze morphed into a mischievous smirk,

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Before Marth could answer, however, Ike grasped the prince’s personal bag from his hand before taking it into his own.

Then, already knowing Ike’s intentions, Meta Knight flew up, a smirk of his own hiding behind his silver mask as he opened the mercenary’s bedroom door.

Grinning up at their spherical companion, the Crimean gave him a wink before tugging Marth along inside his bedroom.

“I-Ike? What are you doing?”

Throwing their bags on the floor, said male finally turned to look down at the flustered royal in his arms,

“What? You think you were going to be sleeping alone?”

Marth blushed darkly at that, completely forgetting how much he had become accustomed to sleeping with the mercenary for all of these months.

However, he frowned when he turned to look over at the wall, and the room behind it,

“But...I wanna know what my room looks like, too.”

Ike chuckled softly at the younger male’s pouting look before he took a good look around his own bedroom.

As astounding as this mansion was, one would think that their living quarters for the smashers would be just as elegant.

That was not necessarily the case.

The room was quite bare, walls were a pale light blue color with a simple, polished wooden desk in a corner beneath the window. It was adjacent to a full sized mattress, which was layered in soft sheets and a fluffed up comforter. The room was quite similar to that of a typical dorm, where it was the owner’s duty to dress and decorate it to whichever way their heart desires.

Something Ike greatly appreciated.

And, he believed the prince would too.

The commander then let out a huff before looking back down at his love,

“I guarantee yours looks exactly the same.”

Marth continued to pout up at the other before he suddenly felt a pair of digits digging playfully into his sides.

He let out a loud squeal before falling into a fit of giggles as he tried pulling himself out of Ike’s arms. However, the mercenary was much too strong as he continued to jab at the prince’s exposed sides.

Laughing along with the other, Ike suddenly lifted Marth off the ground before gently tossing him onto the bed. The younger male gaped at the treatment before gripping onto the taller swordsman’s arms as he gave out a snort when Ike suddenly blew a raspberry into his cheek.

The laughter and playful fun went on for another few minutes before the two were interrupted by a flapping of wings coming up beside them on the bed. Both flushed faces of the bluenettes looked up to an equally bashful, yet amused Meta Knight,

“Ahem...before I leave you two to your... _fun...,”_ the round warrior paused to smirk under his mask as Marth blushed darkly at the underlying teasing behind his words while Ike smirked above the prince, before the knight continued,

“Are we still up for dinner later tonight?”

Clearing his throat, Marth’s sapphire eyes looked up to amused cobalt before shifting to Meta Knight’s questioning gold gaze. However, he was much too flustered at the moment to respond properly,

“Oh! Uh...a-ah...”

The mercenary suddenly gave out a quiet chuckle, leaning down to press a quick kiss to the prince’s malfunctioning lips before looking kindly up at the Popstar resident,

“Of course we are. Dining Hall around 7:00?”

The navy puffball couldn’t help but laugh quietly along with Ike at the embarrassed royal before the spherical soldier nodded his head in agreement to the time.

“Alright, well—.”

Suddenly, there was a soft knock at the door, causing all three swordsmen to turn around in surprise,

“Meta Knight, I was wondering if maybe you could help me...with...some...what is—am I interrupting something...?”

All three warriors blushed darkly, realizing they hadn’t paid any mind to Ike’s bedroom door being open.

Nor to the position they were all currently in.

Ike was on top of Marth, hands around the younger male’s waist as Meta Knight sat beside them on the bed.

To any unknowing bystander, that sight most probably looked as if the three were about to get... _busy._

To put it lightly.

And a dumbfounded Lucario standing with bewilderment in the doorway just so happened to be such a passerby.

“I...uh...I can come back—.”

Clearing his throat, Meta Knight quickly flew off the bed and landed his sheepish self in front of the Pokémon,

“No. W-We were just discussing our plans for dinner. You...you are coming as well, yes?”

The canine-like ninja smirked down at his unusually flustered companion, quite amused at his ability to catch the usually agile and stoic warrior off guard.

The knight growled lowly at that look before huffing lightly as he led the two of them out the door, leaving a giggling Marth and Ike behind.

After walking a few paces down the hall and away from their bedrooms, Lucario looked over at his shorter companion once more, smirk still present,

“So...you three have a—?”

“No.”

“Well it sure looked like—.”

 _“What_ is it that you needed?”

Chuckling lightly at the other’s continuous anger and embarrassment from his teasing, Lucario let out a breath before smiling as he went on to discuss why he really came over to see the knight in the first place.

* * *

“You’ve never really seen one before?”

“Nope.”

A quiet chuckle rang out in the silent night before Ike was seen turning towards his younger companion. He watched the other for a moment, cobalt eyes alight with amusement as Marth’s navy boots struggled for purchase along the small, yet steep, weed barren slope they were currently atop of.

However, a grunt was heard a moment later as Meta Knight elbowed the mercenary in annoyance for his impudence before he helped the royal up the remaining passage of the hill. Marth thanked their round companion kindly for his assistance while Ike playfully rolled his eyes at the two.

The three swordsmen then continued on to make their short travel the rest of the way through the small forest currently surrounding them, which was a mere few acres from the Smash Mansion itself.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Marth rubbed at his tired eyes before he and his two comrades came to a slow stop in front of a small section of shrubbery bushes that lead to an opening within the sea of trees around them.

Sapphire orbs looked up in question when Ike suddenly grabbed for his hand,

“Come on...I bet you we would get a fantastic view from here.”

The Altean smiled lightly as he allowed the older male to guide him through the bushes while Meta Knight followed behind, his golden eyes silently scoping out the area about them to make sure they were safe.

The mercenary gently pulled the prince towards the center of the small, almost circular opening before he purchased himself cross-legged onto the soft grass below.

He patted the space next to him.

Marth gave the other a quirked brow for a moment before he felt Meta Knight gently tap the back of his calf. He looked down to see the Popstar resident also making himself quite comfortable by a pair of daisies that could easily be seen in the bright moonlit night.

He too, gestured for the teal-haired prince to sit in between him and Ike.

Carefully, Marth sat himself down before a muscular arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him close.

The lighter bluenette looked up at his love, the other’s cobalt eyes shining up at the sky above them,

“You really think I will be able to see a shooting star tonight?”

Ike smirked softly before he let himself peer down at the questioning sapphire eyes beside him,

“Definitely.”

Then, he nodded his head over to Meta Knight, who was quietly admiring the stars above them, as well,

“He helped me figure out where to go. Ain’t that right?”

Without missing a beat or turning towards the two younger warriors beside him, the navy puffball knew he was being acknowledged,

“Yes. From where I am from, Planet Popstar gives you a perfect view of constellations and passing meteors and asteroids, alike. And, if you find yourself in the perfect position during the night of the crescent moon, a shooting star can be seen traveling across the sky. But...they go fast. So, keep your eyes peeled, Your Highness.”

Marth looked over at Meta Knight in awe at what the other was telling him before he let out a quiet giggle in exuberance. His body shivered slightly with the cold night as he excitedly curled himself more into the mercenary.

Ike grinned at the other’s obvious enthusiasm before he allowed himself to glance up at the calm sky once more.

The brave trio remained like that for another few minutes, breathing in the scent of the forest and nature surrounding them as they all silently admired the sky above.

Suddenly, a bright streak zoomed just from behind the moon and towards the constellations to the left of it, its tail sparkly in the night along with the stars.

Marth gasped, tugging on Ike’s tunic unconsciously as he gave a small hop and pointed to the sky above,

“I-Is that it?!”

Both knight and mercenary chuckled at the younger male’s excitement before the commander leaned down to press a sweet kiss to the Altean’s cheek,

“Yep.”

Sapphire eyes gleamed up at the small meteor in the night before it disappeared completely.

“Now, you must make a wish.”

Marth turned to their round companion, raising a brow at him,

“Huh?”

Meta Knight chuckled, his golden eyes flashing pink for a quick moment before he continued,

“It is customary for one to make a wish upon a shooting star.”

The prince blinked at that before a small smile tugged on his lips,

“Does...um...does it come true, usually?”

It was Ike’s turn to let out a quiet laugh as he nuzzled the curious boy snuggled into him,

“Usually. You just gotta keep it a secret.”

Marth looked up at him before a smirk came across his face,

“Oh yeah? That should be easy.”

The Crimean laughed quietly at the younger male’s playful demeanor before he nudged him lightly,

“Well then go ahead. Make your wish, Princess.”

The royal shoved the other lightly in fake annoyance at his nickname before he slowly shut his eyes,

“Dear...shooting star...”

Ike bit back a laugh as he listened to the prince begin his wish.

Obviously, Marth failed to realize he wasn’t supposed to speak it aloud.

But, Meta Knight glared at him from the royal’s other side, his own eyes filled with amusement at their younger companion. But, he would not allow the mercenary to ruin the moment.

Ike was trying his hardest to not laugh his ass off. But, with the continuous glare from the round knight, the commander cleared his throat, and instead cuddled the prince close as the teal-haired royal spoke,

“Uh...um...I wish that...Ike, Meta Knight, and I have a joyous time here at this tournament, along with the other fighters who are here. I also wish Elice is safe home in Altea...and...that I will be able to write to her soon. Oh! And...one more thing...”

Ike’s eyes were squeezed tight while Meta Knight’s were fully pink.

The prince was too damn cute and hilarious in this moment that the two older swordsmen beside the royal were struggling to keep their mirth under control.

Marth peeked an eye out for a moment, glancing back and forth between his two comrades as he silently questioned the innocent smile plastered onto Ike’s face and the reserved look in Meta Knight’s own eyes.

He gave out a quiet huff before shutting his eyes once more,

“So...my final wish would be um...for Ike and Meta Knight.”

Both swordsman calmed their quiet gaiety as they silently blinked at that.

Then, the royal continued,

“For Meta Knight...I know how dearly he misses his ship that he sacrificed in saving all of us from the Subspace...and...I know he is still hurting from that...”

Said warrior’s eyes filled with sorrow upon hearing Marth’s words, but he continued to listen,

“I know it will be an arduous task for him to rebuild it once he sees himself home after this tournament...but for now...I wish him peace in knowing that his sacrifice is not something he should grieve over. He saved us. And...I wish with the peace you bring him that he finds enjoyment and benefit out of his stay here...”

The Popstar resident couldn’t help but allow his eyes to color over in a shade of blue, allowing pride, joy, and happiness to fill him at the royal’s kind words.

“Now, Ike.”

Said male flushed pink upon hearing the large amount of love filled within those simple words of the prince.

“After everything we have been through...I cannot be grateful enough to have such an incredibly magnanimous, loving, and terribly stubborn man by my side,” Marth paused to give the blushing swordsman to his left a playful wink before shutting his eyes once more,

“And...I wish him happiness and...relief from his quiet struggles. He knows I am here for him but...I wish him his own peace, as well, and that no matter what...I will be a shoulder for him to lean on, a partner in these coming tournament battles ahead, and his...supporting lover, forever and always...”

Cobalt eyes were rimmed with unshed tears as the mercenary quietly leaned over to press a soft kiss into the Altean native’s teal hair as Marth finished,

“Even if we color ourselves different.”

 

 **The End**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Color Me Different has finally come to a close and...my heart <3 
> 
> I cannot believe how long this ended up being and how much praise and kudos and love it has gotten...it is my proudest work yet and...I cannot thank all of you readers enough for sticking with it and enjoying this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> You are all so beautiful and wonderful and just... 
> 
> Thank you <3 
> 
> Now, for some final, important notes: 
> 
> 1) The first chapter of my next story, “A Prince Worth Fighting For,” is already published! So, if you want some more Ike/Marth fluff and stuff, you may take a gander at that :D 
> 
> And 
> 
> 2) I have two short one-shots currently in the process so, bear with me. However, they are not of main focus with Ike/Marth (well...one is kind of sort of)—but, it is most definitely included in those reads no matter what. :)
> 
> Once more...I thank you all again <3 
> 
> A special thanks to my commenters for sharing their thoughts and reactions on my chapters and giving out their praise so willingly for my work. I...I cannot thank your support enough and it means oh so much to me to HEAR how much you’ve enjoyed this tale. 
> 
> Thank you <3 :’) 
> 
> Alright, with that...I leave you to this bittersweet ending.
> 
> Elizabeth :’)


End file.
